Holy Spirit Promise (Part 3) – God with Us

Holy Spirit Promise

(Part 3 – God with Us)

Good Morning – Welcome to Jesus Church

If you are new… in a series called “Holy Spirit Promise”

• Dedicating some significant time 2 focusing on WHO the Holy Spirit is
  • We as Christians believe in what is called the Trinity
    • Father/Son/Holy Spirit
    • We believe in ONE God… but in 3 persons
  • That might seem confusing
    • But the more I learn on God… who He is… how he operates
    • The more it makes sense that it has to be this way
    • No other way of understanding God could even make sense
• But when it comes to teaching/understanding – Huge imbalance
  • Most of us feel good when it comes to God the Father
    • He’s God – Father is easy to relate to
    • He’s in Heaven – We are his children
  • Most of us feel good when it comes to God the Son
    • Jesus came to Earth
    • He lived in flesh/bone – Dealt with the confines of humanity
    • And there are tons of stories about who he is/what he’s like
  • But when it comes to God the Spirit
    • For many… there’s just a question mark on understanding
    • So we just move on – Believe but it stops at conception
      • Which is crazy b/c THIS IS GOD we are talking about

And its crucial to embrace all of who God is – Not just 2/3rds of God

• So the section of this series is all about: WHO IS THE SPIRIT
  • Week 1 – Talked about the person of the Holy Spirit
    • That God isn’t a force to tap into
    • He is a person to build relationship with
  • Week 2 – Talked about the power of the Holy Spirit
    • Must understand that Jesus didn’t do miracles b/c he’s God
    • Scripture says he emptied himself… put down the God card
    • And what he did – He did by the Power of the Holy Spirit
      • So many people write of the miracles as just “God Stuff”
      • Its not just “God Stuff” – Its you & me stuff thru God
  • This Week – Talk about the Presence of the Holy Spirit
    • Or in other words… The Spirit as “God with us”
    • And that’s so important to understand… God IS with you.

[PRAY]

Story – Anyone here ever use cliff notes

Honestly… I love reading for information – But that’s about it

• If I want a storyline… I’ll sit and watch a movie
  • I use to live and die by cliffnotes in high school
  • I read text books… not Romeo & Juliet
• Because it gives you really: How it begins… How it ends
  • And just enough so your teacher thinks you read the book
  • That’s how a lot of Christians view the presence of the Holy Spirit

So we know scripture begins and ends with the presence of God…

Gen 3:8 (From the beginning)

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day…

• So we know God was with His people in the Garden from the start
  • Honestly I wish there were more specifics on what that means
  • But we do know there was no barrier b/w God and Man
  • It was all access… full intimacy and community with God

Rev 21:3 (And in the end)

Look! God’s dwelling place (tabernacle) is now among the people and he will dwell with them. They will be his people and god himself will be with them and be their God.

• So in the end there is a future reunion coming b/w Heaven & Earth
  • Where reality will be Heaven/Earth no longer separated… but one

So in the Beginning – God was with us… in the end God is with us

• But what about the middle… Where is God between the pages
  • And it actually starts right away in Gen 3
  • Adam & Eve sin in rebellion against God’s presence
  • Essentially saying “No we don’t what your presence”
  • In that they are shut out of the Garden & God’s presence
• And that’s an odd thing to say b/c God is God… so he’s everywhere
  • But I’m talking about the “Nearness” of God… Manifest Presence
    • The idea that you know he’s in the room
    • The idea that you can feel him in your bones
  • And now this “Nearness” of God… it’s the exception not the rule
    • Because now humanity is born at a distance from God
    • We aren’t born into the Garden experience
    • We aren’t born into the new Heaven/Earth of the future

After Gen. 3 – Story of Bible because about ONE THING above all else

• God’s unstoppable… relentless desire to be with His people
  • And truly it is the story God tells through the scriptures
  • Why did God give us the Bible…
  • So we could see how much God has done to be “God with us”

Follow story from then until now

First we find the presence of God on the mountain

Ex. 19:9

The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you..

Ex. 19:16-20

On the morning of the 3^rd day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai…

• At Mt Sinai: God comes to His people in cloud of fire/smoke/thunder
  • And its terrifying… Moses is only one with guts to get close at all
    • Everyone else is scared to death
    • This is how intense God’s presence was
• So God’s presence descends 1^st upon the Mountain

Not must later we read about the Tabernacle

Ex. 25:8

Then let them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle & all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

• Big deal b/c in ancient world the gods were located in time/space
  • So your god was of/in the trees… ocean… sky… under earth
  • But THIS GOD (one true creator God) is God over everything
  • So he is mobile… He wants a tent to go camping with his people
    • And it’s a super nice tent… more like Glamping
• Most of the rest of Exodus is how they were to build this tent

Ex 40:34-38 (End of Exodus)

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting (so now the cloud isn’t on the mountain… its on the tent in the middle of the camp), and the glory of the Lord…

• Glory: The substance of God… its his presence and beauty

…filled the tabernacle. Moses couldn’t enter the tent because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out, but if the cloud did not lift, they didn’t set out, until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

Tag: So God’s glory dwells… 1^st on the Mountain… 2^nd on the Tabernacle

And the story continues in 1 Kings: Temple (point 2 madness – promise)

• Fast forward few 100 years… God’s people no longer in the desert
  • They now live in a permanent place – Capital city is Jerusalem
  • There’s a nice new temple (Like tabernacle but nicer/permanent)
    • 1 Kings 8 is the opening ceremony for the temple
    • Which is God’s new dwelling place

1 Kings 8:10-12

When the priest withdrew from the Holy Place (middle of the temple) the cloud (3^rd place we’ve seen the cloud) filled the temple of the LORD. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple. Then Solomon said, “The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud, I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.

• In the story of God’s people THIS is definitely a high point
  • The entire nation is there in the capital
  • Everyone gathered around to cut the ribbon
• But even here only a select few could experience God’s presence
  • You could stand outside and see the cloud – Couldn’t go in
  • Only 1 man could go into where the cloud settled
  • That happened once a year (Yom Kupur)
• So its not like everyone could experience God’s presence
  • They were outside looking in
  • Observing from a distance the presence of God (not in it)

TAG: Short lived… Rejected Gods presence: Temple destroyed/captivity

God’s people are captured – Exiled from the land of God

Ez 10:18-19 (Here’s where things start getting interesting)

Then the glory of the LORD departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim (angels). While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them. They stopped at the east gate of the LORD’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

• Notice: Everything read so far is God’s presence coming TO a place
  • Here we see God’s presence leaving – Literally out the east gate
  • From here on out God is nowhere to be found
• But the prophets start to speak of a future when God would return
  • Here is one example (pretty strange– if lowkey UFO’s not enough)
  • But this prophet has a vision of a valley of bones – God’s people

Ez. 37:11-14

Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone, we are cut off.” (God no longer with us) Therefore prophesy and say to them: This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them, I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my (Ruach) SPIRT in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.

Ez. 37:27

My dwelling place will be WITH them (that’s different than before right?), I will be their God and they will be my people (Next is the point/purpose of God throughout the entire story) Then the nations will know that I am the LORD make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.

• What God is saying… Not only will God’s people come back home
  • But God himself will come back to His people
  • And when he does… it will be on a whole nother level
  • Because He will PUT HIS SPIRIT in His people
• Remember from what we’ve studied
  • Att his point God’s spirit wasn’t in all His people like today
  • God’s Spirit was only on a prophet/priet/king
  • But here God is saying that a day is coming where that all changes
    • God will again enter the temple
    • But what IS that temple

TAG: And this is basically how the OT ends… epic cliff hanger til Jesus

Context – In between Ezekiel and Jesus is about 400 years…

• In this time the temple is rebuilt by a king named Herod
  • Beautiful building (1 of the wonders of the ancient world)
  • But there is ZERO RECORD of god’s presence every back in temple
• So 1^st century Jews living back in Jerusalem
  • But the temple is empty of God’s presence
  • Everyone was still waiting for prophecy’s to be fulfilled
  • And God does come back 2 temple – but in a way no one expected

Jn 1:14

The WORD became flesh and made HIS DWELLING among us.

• Dwelling (Skin-uhoh) – Where we get the word tabernacle & temple

We have seen his GLORY, the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

So Jesus himself is now the temple – Filled w/ the Glory of God

• One of the reasons Jesus gets in trouble (Well… he was pretty feisty)
  • He does stuff we see as normal… not a big deal
    • Back then – No way you do that stuff outside the temple
    • Example: Oh you’re a sinner… Repent and you’re forgiven
    • Not an option in Jesus day… b/c it eliminated the temple
  • If you wanted God’s mercy – Had to go to temple & sacrifice
    • Only after you go thru the system were you forgiven
    • He comes Jesus… No TEMPLE… No PRIEST…
    • Just: Repent right now… Okay “I forgive you”
  • Then the reason Jesus is finally arrested
    • Stands up in front of temple: Destroy it & I’ll rebuild in 3 days
    • Everyone confused as looked at temple behind him
    • We know he wasn’t talking about the empty temple
      • He was talking about the temple of Himself
• What is Jesus doing… he’s telling us the building isn’t the point
  • Temple was there so God’s presence could be near his people
    • Jesus brings a new reality (presence already left the temple)
    • And the prophets already said the replacement was coming
  • But people had come to care more about the place than presence
    • They say they want the presence
    • But once again (garden/wilderness/exile) they reject it

Almost done with this part – Gets even crazier: CHURCH

• A few weeks after Jesus death & resurrection
  • Jesus is now in heaven with the Father
  • Followers in Jerusalem waiting 4 what prophet/Jesus said coming
  • Waiting for the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1-4

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire (imagery from OT – cover significance later) that separate and came to rest on each of them. ALL OF THEM were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the spirit enabled them.

• That detail “All of them” is significant… not a few… temple/mountain
  • This had never happened in the history of the world until now
  • They were all filled with the Holy Spirit
  • And because of that… look where the H.S. is now (last few spots)

1 Cor 3:16-17

Don’t you know that you yourselves (plural – community) are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst (talking to the church body)? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person, for God’s temple is sacred, and YOU TOGETHER are that temple.

• So there is still a temple… its just not made with brick/mortar
  • And we are blessed to have a building to meet in
  • But this is not the sanctuary
  • You are the sanctuary… We are God’s dwelling place TOGETHER
• When we gather: Its more than just teaching/singing/greeting
  • It’s the place where God is
  • It’s the main reason we believe in Sunday Morning Church
  • And it IS A BIG DEAL if we forsake that fellowship
• Because God moves when his people come together
  • Scriptures are opened
  • Corporate worship as one voice
  • Communion/giving/prayer
    • And done in unity and agreement… the Spirit is there!!!

Then to end the journey… one step further: Your Body is the Temple

1 Cor 6:18-19

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually sins against their own body…

• This is a specific example addressing a larger concept (Corinth nasty)
  • And the temples in Corinth… meet God by paying a prostitute
  • Paul is saying that’s not where God is… not what body is for
• But what you are doing is actually destroying the temple of God
  • And that’s anything that destroys your body (kills your gut/liver)

… do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you (now talking singular) whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with ur bodies.

• So now as the Holy Spirit has finally at long last come
  • Not only is the church body the temple of God
  • You yourself are the temple of God

RECAP: God’s plan to restore his presence to mankind…

1. Garden of Eden – In the presence of God… but presence rejected

(God creates a plan to reunite with us at all costs)

2. Mt Sinai – God’s presence is on the Mountain (Glory… fire… terrifying)

3. Tabernacle – God’s presence in the camp (closer but not close enough)

4. Temple – Permanent place (But people again reject Gods presence)

5. Jesus – God comes back in an amazing way as Jesus of Nazareth

6. Church – Together Paul tells us the Church is His temple… and ur body

• Now we wait for the day. – When Spirit is not only in us
  • But when the Spirit of God dwells over every inch of the cosmos

Here’s the point: If God did all that to be with you… be confident

• He doesn’t want anything to stand b/w us
  • That’s how much He loves you
  • He wants you to know that He is always with you
  • And how he is with you is BY HIS SPIRIT

Titus 3:6

God poured out the H.S. abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Savior.

• And nothing can steal that away from you
  • But we have to pursue knowing… growing… talking to the H.S.
  • B/C your life will be lived in fullness only as u live in his presence

Rom 8:6

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

[PRAY]