Larry Siegle · Hebrews 8:4-6
Link to sermon video: The Pattern of God’s Sacred Space – L Siegle
God’s “Sacred Space” III
“The PATTERN of God’s “Sacred Space”
(Hebrews 8:4-6)
Series: God’s “Sacred Space”
Thesis: There is a “sacred space” where God “dwells” with His people, in His everlasting Presence.
INTRODUCTION
1. We are continuing a special series of lessons in learning about God’s “sacred space” where and how He “dwells” with His people who come to live in His Presence.
2. The title of the series is God’s “Sacred Space”
3. The title of our message today is: “The PATTERN of God’s “Sacred Space”
THIS WEEK WE BEGIN WITH A TRUE/FALSE QUESTION VOTE
1. When it comes to cooking, you use a “recipe”
2. For construction of a house or building you need a “blueprint”
3. For pouring concrete you need a “form”
4. When sewing a garment, there is a “pattern”
GOD IS NOT A GOD OF DISORDER
1. The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church and throughout the letter addressed a vast variety of problems and issues that had arisen.
2. Chapters 12-14 were specific to address various abuses of the operation of “spiritual gifts”(12:1).
a. The focus of the “manifestation of the Spirit” was to be love (13:1-3)
b. “Confusion” and chaos or “disorder” violates the very nature of God (14:33).
1) Everything God has done is a testimony of His power and sovereignty so it comes as no surprise that one should affirm there is a distinct pattern that pertains to the boundaries of God’s “sacred space”
2) The verses from Hebrews 8:4-6 are a reminder that all things were to be done “according to the pattern” the word is tupos which is often translated as “type”—that which is an “impression, model, example” of what
was to become the reality by comparison (Col. 2:17; Heb. 10:1).
3. Moses, in the OT, was given specific instructions about the construction of the tabernacle (God’s “Sacred Space”)— the place of His presence (Exod. 24:1, 2; 25:8, 9).
a. The Hebrew word rendered sanctuary is miq-ked-ash is found 74 times in the OT, and means “a consecrated thing or place, especially a sacred palace, sanctuary… a holy place, sanctuary”
b. All of the elements used for the service and worship of God was given to Moses (shown to him) as the pattern for what was being set apart as the “dwelling place of God” (The tabernacle represented “sacred space”)
c. Moses heard the very voice of God from the Ark of the Covenant (Num. 7:89).
1) The time arrived when the tabernacle was finished (Exod. 39:32)
2) Moses could no longer enter into this holy place (Exod. 40:34, 35).
4. Even prior to this time, “in the days of Noah” God gave specific instructions as to exactly how the Ark (God’s “sacred space” of safety) was designed to be constructed.
a. Noah was obedient to everything God had “commanded” him (Gen. 6:22).
THE OLD TESTAMENT PICTURE (SHADOW) BECOMES THE NEW TESTAMENT SUBSTANCE (REALITY)
1. When we learn what God did in the OT to provide a type (picture), we can begin to appreciate who we are and what we have today.
2. The principle is that what begin in the natural was to be manifested in the spiritual (I Cor. 15:46).
a. The examples from the OT, were written for the benefit of the first century believers to witness the time of their fulfillment (I Cor. 10:6, 11; Rom. 15:4-7).
b. Beyond the “end of the age” time of the first century, we today are living in the “reality”—the spiritual to which what was recorded in the OT pointed forward to.
1) For us to know all that God has accomplished on our behalf, we lay the natural (shadow) down beside the spiritual (reality) in order to distinguish between the two.
2) The problem of the religious world today is their failure to distinguish between the natural and the spiritual.
3) God’s “purpose of the ages” never goes backward from naturalspiritualnatural again (I Cor. 15:46). The end result is not in some physical manifestation.
THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S “SACRED SPACE” TODAY—NOT PHYSICAL OR NATURAL
1. The physical tabernacle was “set apart” at God’s “sacred space” in the OT.
2. In the NT, the reality to which the tabernacle pointed forward is in the church as the very “temple of the living God” (I Cor. 3:16, 17).
a. The church (corporately, collectively) is the spiritual temple (dwelling place) God by the Spirit.
b. Both individually and collectively, believers have been “set apart” as the “dwelling place” of God’s presence (Eph. 4:17, 30)—they were “sealed with the Holy Spirit” in anticipation of the approaching “day of redemption” (Eph. 1:13, 14).
c. The church is that “purchased possession” (NKJV) who had been “sealed” with the Spirit of God and was given as the “pledge” or “guarantee” of the salvation that was about to take place at the “end of the age” (Luke 21:6, 22,
28, 31, 32, 36)
1) Those who had entered into God’s “sacred space” (dwelling place)—the church were going to be delivered (Joel 2:28-32).
2) It was both the time of judgment and of restoration as the purpose of God was being fulfilled. It was the destruction of the Old Covenant city (Jerusalem) and the arrival of the New Covenant (heavenly city) the New
Jerusalem (Heb. 12:18-28; II Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1-4).
GOD’S “SACRED SPACE” MUST BE KEPT HOLY
1. Paul warned the church in Corinth that they were God’s “sacred space” and that loose conduct would not be allowed in God’s holy place (I Cor. 6:15-20)—believers were to remain clean and holy in their lifestyle as God’s temple
2. Believers individually and collectively have been “set apart” to be “separate” from the things of the world (II Cor. 6:14-18; James 4:1-12)
3. The church is not some physical building on the corner where people visit once in a while to “go through the motions” and to “appear religious”—the church is the temple (sacred space) of the living God with the foundation of the
apostles and prophets (Eph. 1:22, 23; 2:19-22).
a. The church is where God is “all in all” (I Cor. 15:26-28) and where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have taken up residence (John 14:23).
b. The tabernacle of God has come down to people with the invitation to “enter into” God’s presence (Rev. 21:3-8).
1) God invites (Rev. 21:5, 6, 22-27; 22:14, 15, 17).
2) The church as the “body of Christ” proclaims God’s invitation and offer to the world—the gospel is everlasting (Rev. 14:6).
a) The New Covenant is the everlasting covenant (Heb. 13:20)
b) The Kingdom of Christ is everlasting (II Pet. 1:11; Isa. 9:6, 7; Luke 1:32, 33).
c) Everlasting life is the present possession of the church (I John 5:11-13).
3) Those who are “in Christ” are in God’s “sacred space” where He dwells with His people.
CONCLUSION
1. In this brief series, we have explored the various concepted from both the Old and New Testaments as to what constitutes God’s “sacred space” and the difference between the two.
2. Once we begin to understand the seriousness of what it means TO BE God’s “sacred space” then every aspect of our lives begins to change and to be molding into the “image” of Christ (Rom. 8:29).
3. God is calling each of us here today to enter into fellowship with God (IN CHRIST) as sons and daughters of the Most High God.
Outline (Word document): Gods__Sacred_Space__III.docx