The Tabernacle

Christmas is past and gifts are given and opened. A gift costs something. Hand-made seem to be more from the heart. God’s gift to us is the most humble, perfect gift ever. And boy, did it have an unimaginable cost. We hear the story told this time of year, but often we don’t count the cost. We have mangers, sheep, Mary & Joe, lowing cattle, shepherds, angels on high, a cool star, wise men worshipping and bringing gifts and of course a baby: Jesus. It needs to be remembered and celebrated. And we do. But there is more and it is dark and scary and foreshadows the crisis that Jesus will face and it is all part of the gift.

With Christmas Eve being the celebration of the SSK series coming to fruition in the flesh, we want to build off of those three roles of Christ. With Christ sitting on the throne of our lives in those three areas, then we truly have what he said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” (John 14:27). The moment we feel sit in shame of our past(Christ as Savior/Cross), fight the guidance of today (Christ as shepherd/Crook), or his control of the future (Christ as King/Cross), we become immobilized. As we take on his yoke that’s talked about in Matt 11: 28-30, we find that he isn’t taking us into easy living, he’s taking us into his peace and contentment found when we strive after him and with him. That only comes from us sitting into the battle of letting Christ be the head in those areas of our lives (past, present, future).

At the first Christmas, wise men came searching for the one “born king of the jews.” Psalm 24 describes the nature of that promised King who rules and reigns now and forever. Jesus as our promised Savior takes care of the sin and shame of our past. As the promised Shepherd he tends us as his sheep in our daily lives. But it’s in his kingly rule that he dominates our lives now and forever, securing our future. From Psalm 24 we learn that Jesus the King is great. The whole earth declares his greatness and glory, which we can see in the details and beauty of his creation. The King is good, as evidenced in his finished work on the cross which saves by grace through faith. Finally, the King is glory. That glory is experienced in our present lives only in flickering moments, but will be forever secure in our future, drawing every sorrow.

The simplicity and beauty of Psalm 23 make it arguably the most well-known and loved of the psalms. It is a picture of Jesus the good Shepherd and his relationship to his people. Old Testament prophecies regarding Messiah promised that he would be a shepherd to his people, born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2-4). At Jesus’ birth, lowly shepherds received angelic visitors who proclaimed him and even served up an impromptu choir performance of praise. Later in Jesus’ ministry he used the imagery again, proclaiming he was the “good shepherd” (John 10:11), and that his people were his sheep. In Psalm 23, David describes that good shepherd in the present tense, marking it as a psalm describing the everyday lives of his relationship to his people. The good shepherd owns the sheep and are marked by him, and not the other way around. The shepherd cares for his sheep in many ways (leads, restores, guides, protects, disciplines, provides, defends). Finally we see that the shepherd gives himself fa

Psalm 22 is a cry for rescue in the midst of circumstances. But it's also prophetic, fulfilled in the promised savior Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas. The Old Testament is full of prophecies that came true in the person of Jesus Christ. Psalm 22 is one of three intense messianic chapters, written by David mostly likely during one of his exiles. The layers of the psalm capture’s David’s cry to God for rescue in the midst of his own circumstance. But it is also echoed by all humanity, who need a savior to rescue from sin and death. Finally, it foreshadows God’s own cry when His creation turns against Him, containing 11 instances and allusions fulfilled at the cross even though it was written 1000 years prior. The Psalm closes with praise for the promised savior, who shed his divine glory to enter creation in the form of Jesus, who we celebrate at Christmastime. It is interesting that verse 31, “he has done it,” can also be translated “it is done,&#x

After a tremendous victory in Ch 11, the nation of Israel has confirmed and established Saul as their king, fulfilling their desire to be like the other nations around them. The annihilation of the Ammonites has the potential to affirm in the hearts of Israels’ people their demand of an earthly king. The victory seems to prove them right and they have gone as far as to demand death of anyone who opposed the idea of Saul as their king. Saul gave the glory of the victory to God as Ch 11 closes out. Ch 12 is a raw, blatant, state of affairs spoken boldly by Samuel to the people. It opens with Samuel establishing himself as one trustworthy, who has done no wrong towards the people, even in his insisting that they already have a king in God Himself. Offering to right any wrongs, he is confirmed as one blameless with God and Saul as witness. He then directs attention to the relationship between The Lord and His people, stating in no uncertain terms that which God has done on their behalf, and remind

Circumstances can be so overwhelming to the point of wanting to give up or give in. So what are we to do with God who promises victory? Saul has been anointed be prince over Israel, but nothing much has changed. He’s still working the farm and their enemies still threaten. Nahash and the Ammonites demand servitude, and a treaty at the cost of the right eye of the inhabitants of Jabesh. The people are prepared to accept the offer, but are given 7 days to weigh their options and weep. But Saul the Holy Spirit empowers Saul by who cuts up a pair of oxen into 12 pieces and sends them to the 12 tribes as a muster to fight back. The people in turn are empowered by the dread of the Lord, and an army of 330,000 men destroys the Ammonite army. God gives victory to Israel, who celebrates with a renewal of their commitment to the kingdom of God. This pattern of experience is repeated in our lives today. Enemies threaten us individually and as a church. We can give up and concede, give in and weep, or choose to l

Beautiful story and something we can all relate to. Saul is anointed by Samuel and is going to be king. Before he leaves for home, Samuel gives him a sign to look for. Multiple signs, in fact. Ludicrously specific signs. All happen and Saul has a new heart. But, the transplant seems to be taking its time in taking hold, at least according to Saul's coming actions. The big moment comes, and Saul, in a weird move plays hide and seek - with God. Saul loses. Saul is going to need help with the whole king gig. In the end, we see that God provides a group of men whose hearts are for God, mighty men.

God’s providence extends beyond ministry and church. In fact, God is at work in every aspect of our lives even when we can’t see his hand, it is there. We often say that God is sovereign, but we struggle to see the interwoven moments of His Providence in the mundane daily routines of life. Whether we are chasing donkeys over the countryside, folding laundry for the hundredth time or working in a thankless job, God is moving. The question is are we fighting Him or moving with Him?

The desire to be like the world is as old as time. But God tells us we are strangers and aliens in this world, and to be conformed to his image instead, serving and worshipping him alone. Samuel is old and the people approach him with a succession plan, namely that he should give them a king like all the other nations. This displeases both Samuel and God, not because wanting a king was bad but because of their motive. Their desire to be like the nations instead of God’s holy people was another rejection of God. God had saved them again and again, had provided leadership for them through his appointed judges, even his very presence was with them — but they wanted another layer of middle-management. God chose to give them what they wanted in order to teach an important lesson: Only God’s rule will never let you down. The world preaches a different message, trying to indoctrinate us to conform to its standards. But the Bible teaches us to be transformed in how we think and to offer ourselve

We can never experience victory and peace in life without God’s help. But God won’t share his glory with idols or tolerate our half-hearted worship either. As judge and prophet, Samuel spends 20 years preaching a sermon of repentance to God’s people.The call is for them to return to the Lord with all their hearts, put away idols, direct their hearts to God and serve him only. The emphasis on the heart is striking. Presumedly, this sermon is a regular part of Samuel’s circuit and it culminates in Israel's response, gathering to repent at Mizpah. The Philistines see the gathering as a threat and prepare to attack. Fearful Israel begs Samuel to intercede in prayer for them and he does so, after sacrificing a lamb to atone for their sins. God responds, thundering with a mighty sound and throwing the Philistines into confusion, allowing Israel to pursue and defeat them. The victory produces peace and restoration of lost territory. We see foreshadows of Jesus and the Gospel in Samuel's

There is only one true God, and He will not share His glory with our idols. The Bible says it’s a terrible thing to fall into His hands, so how can anyone escape? Chapters 5 & 6 contain the story of the lost ark and its return to Israel. This is one of the lowest points in Israel’s history. The “glory has departed” and their very survival is on the line. But while the Philistines possess and parade the stolen ark, their idols are broken and they’re terrorized by deadly plagues. Believing that it’s possibly caused by the heavy hand of the God of Israel, they concoct a plan to return it with a guilt offering to stop their affliction. The plan works and the ark is returned to God’s people. But instead of turning to the one true God, they return to their land and their own idol worship. Israel rejoices on the other hand, but in the process even 70 Israelites are struck down because they looked upon the ark, causing them to ask “who is able to stand before t

In chapter 4 of 1 Samuel, Israel is battling the Phillistines, an enemy nation. After suffering defeat, they retrieve the ark from it’s resting place. Bringing it into camp and among the battle, they expect that it will guarantee their victory. However, they have not consulted with God for His direction, nor have Hophni and Phineas repented of their sins. Despite this, there seems to be the expectation that God will ensure their victory. Ironically, it is the Phillistines that remember the God of Israel, and all that He has done. Israel is defeated in battle once again, this time resulting in the capture of the ark, and the prophesied death of Eli’s sons. Using the ark as a good luck charm, and treating God as an object results in His glory leaving Israel. However, it is still part of God’s all-knowing plan which sets up the ancestral line from which Jesus will come. It is a desperate place to be when God departs from us. There are no shortcuts to how we approach Him. God is

When the Lord speaks and we respond, God fulfills his purposes in us and through us. Samuel’s calling by God is a template for how he still interacts with us today. God called Samuel in a dark time when "the word of the Lord was rare.” But the Lord called to Samuel who didn’t yet know God. He didn’t realize it was God (Jesus pre-incarnate) until Eli counsels him to respond in humility and submission. Samuel does exactly that, and God revealed the same prophecy regarding Eli from chapter 2. The passage closes with the words that God “let none of his words fall to the ground,” meaning that the Lord worked to fulfill his purpose and all that He called Samuel to do. We live in a time when the Lord speaks all the time, through His word, His spirit, and His people. We respond in humble submission like Samuel when we make ourselves available to listen, and humbly submit to his calling. When we do that, the Lord works, and fulfills his purposes in us and through us. When the

Chapter 2 begins with Hannah’s prayer of praising to the God who sees, hears, cares, and remembers. Her exultation reminds us that God’s always worthy of praise, regardless of circumstance. The story turns to the environment that little Samuel is growing up in, where the sons of Eli are spiritual leaders who don’t know the Lord. They treat their duties, the altar, and the Lord with contempt. They steal from the sacrifices, sleep with women servants, and refuse to listen to the warnings of their father. This is a stark contrast to little Samuel, serving the Lord in a little ephod made each year by his faithful mother Hannah. The passage closes with an unnamed prophet who confronts Eli, and tells him that his family line will be cut off from serving as priests, and that his sons will die on the same day. The simple truth here is that there are always consequences for sin. There is a promise of a better priest however, one who will faithfully serve God and his anointed forever. This prophecy

Where is God when you’re hurting? Does he see your pain or hear your cries? Samuel opens with an incredibly personal scene of anguish, and a God who remembers his promises to his people.

Do you ever get frustrated with the unfinished story? We are finishing this series by looking at our call as a church, as families, and as individuals to keep our eyes dialed in to Jesus.

Headlines describe a "country in limbo", but is this also true of the church? Could it be that we are neglecting God's mission by waiting for things to return to normal?

Are we living in the end times? When will Jesus return? What are the signs of the end of the world, and what will it be like? Jesus spoke clearly to these questions and reminds us that God is in control even in the chaos.

Faith is a word like love; very hard to define, often desirable and subject to much individual and institutional dysfunction in its description and practical application. Scripture teaches us what's true about faith, but we often feel we lack, or that something is missing.