It’s that time of year again!  We are grateful for the year past and looking forward with anticipation to what God has in store for our future.  But, is it only about what God has in store for us?  Or, is it also about what decisions we will make as we try to discern, to the best of our ability, what He would have us commit to?  Yes, God has a wonderful plan for my life, but, He has sovereignley chosen that I must participate in the process!  As Pastor Hal often says, “I have no choice but to make choices!”  The point of it is that my future is not exhaustively settled until I choose a direction.  Even then, there are limitless possibilities; there is the possibility that other people’s choices will influence or even negate mine, there is the possibility that world forces, social or governmental, will impact what I choose,  and, in addition, there is the meddling of our enemy, the devil, who goes around like a roaring lion intent on our destruction. 

 

So, what does it mean for me to face a New Year with the endless possibilities that exist?  For me it means that I need HELP!  And, the best person to help me is Jesus!  He is, after all, the smartest person in the room.  And, since Jesus and the Father are united (John 10: 30), and since the Father knows everything that is knowable, every possibility, every potential outcome (Isa 45, Job 21: 22, Job 38 – 42, Ps 139, Prov 2: 6), then I have available to me the best possible resource for decision making!  It comes down to a relationship with a living, breathing person who knows what is best for me.  I speak of Jesus as “being in the room” because He is!  If I will only pay attention to Him, listen carefully for His voice, “practicing His presence” as Brother Andrew has said, then through the Word, His church, the Holy Spirit, and the gift of human intellect (and conscience), I will be able to discern His good and perfect will (Prov. 3: 5 – 6, Rom 12: 1-2).  He knows what is best and I can find out by knowing Him.  Oh to be sure, there are still all of the other influences and possibilities, but who knows better how all of that is most likely to effect outcomes and who has the power to intervene at any time or to give us grace to deal with whatever comes?  Jesus!  So, this year my “resolution” is to know Him better that I might more often choose to follow His way and not my own.  I invite you join me in this resolution!  God bless!

 

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.   I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,  and his incomparably great power for us who believe.  –  Ephesians 1: 17 – 19   [1] 

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[1]Excerpted from Compton’s Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved

I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas!  We are so blessed with so many wonderful friends and family and this  time of the year just reminds me of these blessings.  Isn’t it amazing how God has encourages us with real, tangible relationships.  Think of all the people in your life who do so much to enrich you.  These people are God’s continuing gift of His presence to you!  The challenge, as I see it, is to recognize, on purpose, His goodness made tangible through others.  I am too often unaware of His work, His gracious activity towards me, that comes through my family and friends, and sometimes even the difficult relationships in my life!  So, I pause just now to thank all of those who have contributed in one way or another to my life; reflecting Jesus to me, helping me to see Him, my first and most essential relationship.  May you all be forever blessed because of your faithfulness to God and to your friends!  

 Just to update, in my last post I shared a message I gave to the church last August.  At the conclusion I had challenged the church to be salt and light in our community by involving ourselves in the lives of others through the medium of music and drama; specifically, through a community theatre production for Christmas.  Well, “It’s a Wonderful Life – The Musical” did not work out; not enough people were available at this time of the year to produce such a huge project.  We did, however, join with the Valley Theatre Company to produce a wonderful Christmas play called “The 12 Plays of Christmas”. It was a lot of fun and several people from our church took the challenge to get involved.  We are building relationships with many wonderful people from around the valley and we are grateful to God for the opportunity to meet new friends.  Thank you to all who have joined in this effort.  We will continue to reach out to our valley to offer the best of our talents and abilities in order to answer the call to be Salt and Light!

God bless you and may you know His smile of approval this new year!

Ex. 33: 7 – 11

The “tent of meeting” was set up outside the camp by Moses as temporary structure that preceded the building of the Tabernacle.  The first mention of the “Tent of Meeting” is in Ex. 25, referred to as “sanctuary” and again in chapter 26; both are in the account of Moses receiving the law from God.

1.  What Happened in the Tent?

                                                               i.      God’s presence came  Ex. 33:  9.  The cloud came down; the cloud represented God’s presence in the camp.  God had given them a cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night to lead the people when they left Egypt.  It reminded the people of God’s presence among them.  When Moses entered the tent of meeting the cloud would descend.  Later, when the tent of meeting was replaced with the more ornate Tabernacle the cloud descended once again to indicate that God’s presence would dwell there.  Ex 40: 34 – 38

                                                             ii.      Moses met with God face to face and Joshua was mentored or “discipled” during those encounters.  Ex 33: 11

                                                            iii.      Both Moses and Joshua were built up in their faith.  How do I know that, because both Joshua and Moses left the tent to do incredible things in faithful response to God’s call.  They obeyed the word of the Lord.  Time and again Moses would go to God on behalf of the people and when God instructed him what to do He would do it.  Joshua would soon join Caleb in declaring in faith that Israel could conquer the promised  land because God was with them.  Num. 13:30 , 14: 6 – 8

What practices came as a result of the “tent of meeting” experience; being in the tent?

                                                               i.      Individual and Community worship occurred.

1. Individually anyone, everyone had access to the tent -  Ex. 33: 7.  And we know from the example of Moses and Joshua that individual worship occurred in the tent.  Worship happens when we encounter the presence of God.   Ex. 34: 5 – 8
2. Community worship also occurred: Ex 33: 9 – 10.  Did they all come out of their tents just to watch Moses go to the tent of meeting; or, did they come out because the presence of God, the cloud, was about to descend?!  As a community people stood at the entrance to their own tents and worshipped God

                                                             ii.      The Sabbath principle was established.

We need here to get an overview of the worship of God’s people in the Old Testament.  The Sabbath principle is tied directly to the worship practices of God’s people. 

1. About a 3^rd of the book of Exodus is devoted to instructions and commandments regarding worship. 
2. The “tent of meeting” instituted by Moses was the beginning point of the formalization of community worship among the Israelite people.  Remember the tent was only a temporary structure. 
3. It was followed by the building of the Tabernacle, the plans and practices for which were given to Moses at the time he was on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments and the law  – Ex 20 – 31. 
4. The Tabernacle was to be the center of life for God’s people.  God gave detailed instructions to the people concerning the layout of their encampment - Numbers 2; The Tabernacle was to be located at the center of the camp with each tribes camp position assigned in relationship to it.  The Tabernacle was the focal point.
5. Eventually the Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem became the center of Israel’s worship but for hundred’s of years the Tabernacle defined the worship experience.
6. Along with the instructions given for the Tabernacle came the command to observe the Sabbath.  The Sabbath principle, the principle of rest from labor, honoring the day as holy, and giving undivided attention to God in worship, is directly tied to the introduction of the Tabernacle.  Ex.31: 12 – 14, 35: 1 – 2.  Both times, following the giving of the law and the instructions for the Tabernacle, the center of worship, God emphasizes the command to observe the Sabbath. 

In the New Testament, we see the establishment of the law “written on the heart”  Rom. 2: 15,  II Cor. 3: 3, Heb 10: 16 by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer – I Cor. 6: 19, II Tim. 1: 14, Rom. 8: 9 – 11. The keeping of the law is a matter of the heart.  The first Christians were Jews and as such continued to observe the Saturday Sabbath – Acts 13:14, 16:13, 16, 17: 2.  They also met on the first day of the week to celebrate the day that Jesus rose from the dead, to worship, and to encourage one another in the things of God. Eventually the gathering on the Sunday replaced their Saturday worship and became their Sabbath.  Why, well I think it’s because Jesus is the fulfillment of the law – Matt 5: 17 – 20.  He is the Sabbath rest of God’s people – Heb. 3 & 4.  The principle of Sabbath yet remains as we worship God through Jesus Christ on the first day of the week.  Again the principle is this; rest from labor, honoring the day as holy, and giving undivided attention to God in worship.  And God is serious about the Sabbath principle.  In fact we are instructed not to give up on meeting together.   Heb. 10: 24 – 25.

 

What did Moses and Joshua do as a result of time in the tent?

                                                               i.      They didn’t stay in the tent!  If either of them had just stayed in the tent do you think we would have the scripture as we know it?  Do you think we would have ever heard of Joshua?  God met them in the tent but he did so in order to instruct them and send them out to lead the people!  What happened in the tent didn’t stay in the tent.

                                                             ii.      They engaged and impacted the culture! ( the books of Exodus, Numbers, & Joshua)

Moses engaged the “church” culture; discipling Joshua, interceding for the people, giving the law as God had given it to him, setting up the structures that would administer the law, leading the people through the discipline of the desert in preparation for the conquest of the promised land.

1. Joshua engaged and influenced the “outside the church” culture by leading the conquest of the Promised Land.  In New Testament language we engage and influence the culture when we become “salt and light.” 
2. And that leads me to my last point.  We are called by God to meet Him personally in the tent, to meet Him, along with one another, on the first day of the week in our community worship experience, and then to take what we have learned and experienced of Him and what we have learned and experienced from each other into the world as influencers; becoming “salt and light.” 

 

I want to focus on the idea of salt.  What does salt do?

1. Salt preserves, purifies and promotes healing, and adds flavor wherever its influence is felt.  Do we think the heritage of our culture is worth preserving?  Do we think we need the purifying, healing qualities of salt to penetrate the wounded souls of the people we know?  Should we not be purposeful in bringing a better flavor to our public discourse or even our political process?  Much of western culture is founded on what we call “Judeo Christian” principles.  The very principles that God gave to Moses.  These historical foundations of our culture are certainly worth preserving.  But if we don’t do our part to penetrate the culture then we are what I will call “saltiless”  – Matt 5: 13.  We may be salt but we will have no effect because we have not penetrated the culture.  Bob Brinner puts it this way in a book called “Roaring Lambs”.  He says, “The process of obeying Christ’s command to be salt is about penetration…Salt must penetrate the meat to preserve it.  Christians must penetrate key areas of culture to have a preserving effect.”  He then adds “And penetration does not mean standing outside and lobbing hand grenades of criticism over the wall.  It is not about being reactionary and negative.  It is about being inside through competence and talent and, with God’s help and the Holy Spirit’s leading, offering scripturally based alternatives to those things that are corrupting and evil.”   – “Roaring Lambs”, Pg. 40.   Friends, for too long the church has sat around criticizing the culture without positively, strategically getting inside to influence it.  Mr. Brinner quotes Dr. Ray Pritchard, Bible scholar and senior pastor of Calvary Memorial Church in Oakes Park, Ill, who says, “Being the salt of the earth means acting as a purifying agent to hinder the spread of evil.  We who follow Jesus Christ are to be a “moral disinfectant”…  It does little good to commiserate with each other about how evil the “Hollywood community” is, or how godless the TV community is or how the print media seems to always take the low road, or how government policy makers seem to never consider Biblical truths, or how corrupt the music ands arts scenes are.  Sitting in the pews wringing our hands about the decay in the world is not being salt.  Neither is decrying the evil without offering positive alternatives.”  “Roaring Lambs”, Pg. 41.  Bob Brinner continues, “The best way to stop the spread of evil is to replace it with something good.”  His point is that in the arenas of cultural influence, the media, arts, politics, and entertainment, we should be offering positive alternatives to the evil and corruption that will quite naturally fill the void if we are absent.  The way we do that is to get involved in these arenas.  I will give a practical example in a moment.
2. So, what am I suggesting we do?  First of all we need to spend enough time in personal worship, “tent time.”  Second, commit time to regular community worship, the Sabbath principle.  And third, personally and purposely answer the call to be salt and light in our communities.  Our influence for God’s kingdom depends on it. 

 

Conclusion:

Now I said I was going to give us a practical example of how we can be salt and light in our community.  Here are just a couple of ideas.  First, this fall Sarah Schmall and our children’s Ministries will begin work on a Children’s Christmas Musical to be presented this December.  She will be asking for parents, grandparents and other friends of our Children’s Ministries Department to join her in working with kids to produce this event.  This is an opportunity to invite family and friends to our church for a fun, uplifting reminder of why we celebrate Christmas.  Many will come to this kind of event simply because it is presented by children.  Be ready to respond when Sarah gives the call for helpers and be committed to attending the presentation and inviting others to attend with you.

 

Second, Celebration Ministries is collaborating with The Valley Theatre Company, a local community theatre group, to produce a Christmas musical based on one of the most popular Christmas movies ever made, “It’s A Wonderful Life.”  This production will involve the whole Lower Valley community and will be presented at the Sunnyside High school Auditorium.  Our congregation has the opportunity to add the preserving, purifying, virtue enhancing presence of Christ to a community endeavor, through a medium, community theatre, which touches and in many ways shapes the lives of people in our culture.  We have resident among us talents, gifts and abilities in many disciplines that, when lent to such an endeavor will enhance its flavor – its appeal to the community – will open doors of opportunity for new relationships with other Christians and pre-Christians, and will allow the Lords presence to enter one of the culture shaping arenas that already has influence our community.  Let me say it this way.  We have an opportunity to use the talents, gifts, and abilities God has blessed us with not only to encourage our own little family but to bring that encouragement to those outside of our family. 

 

In August we will be presenting a list of ways in which people can get involved; from being on stage to support ministries.  We will advertise to the community at large for people to be involved.  And we will work together with the leadership of the Valley Theatre Company to promote the musical as a community Christmas event that the whole family will want to see.  People with acting and singing skills will be needed, people with organizational skills will be needed, musicians will be needed, technicians will be needed, carpenters will be needed, seamstresses will be needed, meals and cookies will be needed, and muscle will be needed.  Both skilled and unskilled help will be needed.  I think that everyone of us, if we were to think of this project in terms of allowing God to use us for His purposes, to be Salt and Light, could find a place to join in this endeavor.  So I am calling GV Naz to go to prayer, no really, GO TO PRAYER, and ask God what part He would have you play in this Salt and Light opportunity.  Then watch carefully for information about “It’s A Wonderful Life, The Musical” and join the party!

 

One last word:

Our motivation must be clear; it’s love.  It’s love for God and love for others.  We are answering the call of God to bring the influence of His love into our world in a humble yet strategic way.  Why, because we have been in the tent, we have worshiped together, and what has happened in the tent simply cannot stay in the tent!