Responding in Faith_WEB

8/9/2019 Responding in Faith_WEB

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Saturday, August 14, 2010


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R E T H I N K I N G C H U R C H

Among Us



3/27

People created in the image of God . . .

responding in faith to his gracious provision . . .

under his rule . . .

serving his purposes . . .

in transformative relationships with Jesus and others



4/27

Genesis 3:8, 9 Revelation 21:3

Then the man and

his wife heard the

sound of the LORD

God as he was

walking in the

garden in the cool ofthe day, and they hid

from the LORD God

among the trees of

the garden. But the

LORD God called tothe man, "Where are

you?"

And I heard a loud

voice from the

throne saying, "Now

the dwelling of God

is with men, and he

will live with them.They will be his

people, and God

himself will be with

them and be their

God.

Gods Relational Intention



5/27

Genesis 3:8, 9 Revelation 21:3

Then the man and

his wife heard the

sound of the LORD

God as he was

walking in the

garden in the cool ofthe day, and they hid

from the LORD God

among the trees of

the garden. But the

LORD God called tothe man, "Where are

you?"

And I heard a loud

voice from the

throne saying, "Now

the dwelling of God

is with men, and he

will live with them.They will be his

people, and God

himself will be with

them and be their

God.

Ezekiel 37:26, 27

I will make a

covenant of peace

with them; it will be

an everlasting

covenant. I will

establish them andincrease their

numbers, and I will

put my sanctuary

among them forever.

My dwelling placewill be with them; I

will be their God,

and they will be my

people.

Gods Relational Intention



6/27

God with Us: Gen-Lev

Genesis

1. God makes a home for humankind and dwells withthem in his creation.

2. The relationship with God is hurt because Adam and

Eve rebel against God and humanity is no longer holy

as God is holy.

3. They are removed from the place where Gods

presence was physically displayed to them.

4. God calls a man to begin a new community that will be

his. The book ends with this mans family in Egypt



7/27

Exodus

1. This book begins by establishing that this family hasnow become a large group, a nation of people who

represent a fulfillment of Gods promise to Abraham

back in Genesis 15.

2. Under Egyptian oppression God is unable to fulfill his

plan for renewing his relationship with them in which his

presence is physically displayed,

3. God raises up a deliverer to lead the people out of

Egypt.




8/27

Relational Progress in Exodus

God liberates the community

The exodus and wilderness (1-18)

Exodus 3:7-10

The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people

in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave

drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I havecome down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians

and to bring them up out of that land into a good and

spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honeythe home

of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and

Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me,

and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.

So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people

the Israelites out of Egypt."



9/27

God instructs the community

Mt. Sinai (19-24)

Exodus 19:3-6

Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him

from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to

the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people ofIsrael: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and

how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to

myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then

out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.

Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a

kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'




10/27

God inhabits the community

The tabernacle (25-31; 35-40)

Exodus 25:8

"Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell

among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings

exactly like the pattern I will show you.




11/27

Tabernacle Location



12/27

Tabernacle



13/27

Tabernacle



14/27

Tabernacle



15/27

Major Problem

Gods manifest presence is now back among humanity in

an Eden-like way but the unholiness of humanity hasntchange much since they were removed from the garden.

This problem is highlighted in chapters 32-34 of Exodus in

the incident with the golden calf.



16/27

Exodus 33:3-5

Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I willnot go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and

I might destroy you on the way." When the people heard

these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one

put on any ornaments. For the LORD had said to Moses,

"Tell the Israelites, 'You are a stiff-necked people. If I wereto go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you.

Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do

with you.' " So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at

Mount Horeb.

Major Problem



17/27

The rebellion of the people is highlighted by the fact that

the calf story is sandwiched between materialconcerning the place where Gods glory will reside among

the people.

Gods dwelling place (25-31) Human Rebellion (32-34) Gods dwelling place (35-40)

Major Problem



18/27


Leviticus

1. Can be understood as a survival manual for living in thenewly established holy space.

2. Whereas Exodus tells the story if Israels deliverance

from the sins of others, Leviticus, especially the

teaching on the sacrifices, tells the story of the

instruction for deliverance from the community's ownunholiness. (Schnittjer 291)



19/27


THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM

1. As the people obeyed in faith they indicated that theytrusted God and took him at his word.

2. The sacrifice did not have any intrinsic value, the

offerings represented the faith and obedience of the

participants. The sacrifices are three dimensional

symbols of the humility and repentance they were torepresent (Psalm 51:16-17; Psalm 40:6; Hebrews 10)

During the exile when there was not temple, God could

forgive the sin of the repentant with no sacrifice at all.



20/27

God With Us: NT

First of all, it is important to point out that the physical

manifestation of Gods glory eventually left the templebecause of the sins of the community (Ezekiel 10-11).

So when we get to the life of Jesus the Jews have not had

a physical manifestation of Gods glory for quite some

time.



21/27

Matthew 1:23

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,and they will call him Immanuel"which means, "God with

us."

John 1:1-3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was withGod, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the

beginning. Through him all things were made; without him

nothing was made that has been made.

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who

came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

God With Us: NT



22/27

Among us to Die for Us

Not only is Jesus the updated manifestation of God

dwelling with humanity, he is also going to be the meansthrough which the unholiness problem will be dealt with.

Unlike animals as three dimensional representations of

faith and repentance, the death of Jesus actually forgives

sins and removes unrighteousness.



23/27

1 John 2:2

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only forours but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 Jon 3:5

But you know that he appeared so that he might take away

our sins. And in him is no sin.

1 John 4:10

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us

and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins

Among us to Die for Us



24/27

In Him We Are Made Holy

We are made holy because we are in Christ. Jesus

becomes our righteousness and holiness.

1 Corinthians 1:30,31

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has

become for us wisdom from Godthat is, our

righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it iswritten: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."



25/27

Grace and Faith

Paul writes a clear summary of the relationship between

grace, faith, and a righteousness that is not our own.

Romans 3:21-26

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been

made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This

righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ toall who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and

fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his

grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God

presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his

blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in hisforbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand

unpunished he did it to demonstrate his justice at the

present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those

who have faith in Jesus.


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26/27

God in Us

Upon responding in faith to Gods gracious provision of

Jesus he actually dwells in his people.

1 Corinthians 3:16

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and

that God's Spirit lives in you?

1 Corinthians 6:19

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy

Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?

Romans 8:11

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is

living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also

give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives

in you.Saturday, August 14, 2010

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27/27

Sow What?

Spend some time this week reflecting on the

gracious mercy of God that has always made a wayfor him to be among his creation.

Realize that God still wants to be among us in an

interactive meaningful relationship . . . he wants to

be with us in our daily grind.

Spend some time thanking God for his love and

gracious provision that allows us to know him.

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