Sunday
Morning Bible Study
November 17, 2002
The Day God Showed Up
A few years back, Miami Dolphin coach Don Shula
in a little post season trip, took his wife on vacation to a small seaside town
in Maine. He figured it was a place they could relax
anonymously. It was raining when they
arrived; they decided to take in a movie.
As they entered the small theatre, the show had not yet started, the
lights were still up. Guess what—to their surprise the scattered handful of
people applauded their entrance. After
they were seated Don said, “I guess there’s nowhere I’m not known.” His wife smiled and said, “And loved, dear.” A man seated nearby reached over and shook
Don’s hand. Shula
said, “I have to admit I’m kind of surprised that you know me here.” And the
man said, “Should I know you? We’re just
happy to see you folks because the manager had said he wasn’t going to start
the movie until at least two more people showed up.” --
Associated Press, 2-4-91
It’s kind of important that the right people show up at church. In fact, if the right people don’t show up,
we can’t even have church. When we have church, three people need to show
up: You, me, and most of all, the Lord.
Solomon has spent the last seven years building the Temple. The building has been completed for eleven
months, and the time has come for the dedication ceremony. The entire process
started with the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant up to the Temple
Mount from the city and putting it
inside the Holy of Holies. The priests are now exiting the Temple
…
:11 all the priests … did not then wait by course
Before he died, David had put some order to the priesthood. He had taken all the priests and divided them into 24 divisions
(1Chron. 24). Each division, or course, would serve in the Temple
for a two week period. For the Temple
dedication, there were priests from each of the divisions present to serve. The
point here is that all the priests were on duty that day,
they all got to participate in the dedication of the Temple.
:12 the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman,
of Jeduthun
The singers were all in their place.
They were divided among the three families of the Levites (Gershom, Merari, Kohath) and the main men who
headed each singing family were Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun.
:12 having cymbals and psalteries and harps
These Levitical singers had instruments. Clashing cymbals and
stringed instruments.
:12 an hundred and twenty priests sounding with
trumpets
That’s a lot of noise! The trumpets were probably made of silver – Num.
10:2,8
:13 as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to
make one sound
(NIV) The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one
voice,
Lesson
God is looking for unity
Sometimes it seems that all we’re good at is finding out how we can’t get
along.
Illustration
Differences between Christians
I was walking across a bridge recently. I spied this guy who looked like he
was ready to jump off. So, I thought I’d try to stall him until the authorities
showed up (or at least until I had time to put film in my camera). “Don’t
jump!” I said. “Why not?” he said. “Nobody loves me.”
“God loves you,” I said. “You believe in God, don’t you?” “Yes, I believe in
God,” he said. “Good,” I said. “Are you Christian or Jewish?” “Christian,” he
said. “Me, too!” I said. “Protestant
or Catholic?” “Protestant,” he said. “Me, too!”
I said. “What kind of Protestant?” “Baptist,” he said. “Me,
too!” I said. “Independent Baptist or Southern
Baptist?” “Independent Baptist,” he said. “Me, too!”
I said. “New Evangelical/Moderate Independent Baptist or
Conservative Independent Baptist?” “Conservative Independent Baptist,”
he said. “Me, too!” I said. “Calvinistic
Conservative Independent Baptist or Lose-Your-Salvation Armenian Conservative
Independent Baptist?” “Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist,” he
said. “Me, too!” I said. “Dispensational
Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist OR Historical
Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist?”
“Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist,” he
said. “Me, too!” I said. “Against
Women in Ministry Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative
Independent Baptist OR For Women in Ministry Dispensational Premillennial
Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist?” “Against Women in
Ministry Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent
Baptist,” he said. “Me, too!” I said. “Pro-Disney
Boycott Pro-Life Fundamentalist Against Women in Ministry Dispensational
Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist OR Anti-Disney
Boycott Pro-Choice Fundamentalist Against Women in Ministry Dispensational
Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist?” “Pro-Disney
Boycott Pro-Life Fundamentalist Against Women in Ministry Dispensational
Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist,” he said. “Me, too!” I said. “KJV Only Pro-Disney Boycott Pro-Life
Fundamentalist Against Women in Ministry Dispensational Premillennial
Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist OR Modern Versions Pro-Disney
Boycott Pro-Life Fundamentalist Against Women in Ministry Dispensational
Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist?” “MODERN VERSIONS
Pro-Disney Boycott Pro-Life Fundamentalist Against Women in Ministry
Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist” he
said. “Auugghh!!! You heretic!” I said. And I pushed him over.
God wants us to learn to sing with “one voice”, to be on the same side, to
be unified.
In the Old Testament –
(Psa 133 KJV) A Song of degrees of David.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in
unity!
It is a wonderful thing when people learn to get along
together.
{2} It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down
upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his
garments;
Unity is like the anointing oil on the priest.
Oil in the Bible is a picture of the Holy Spirit.
There is a connection between the work and power of the
Holy Spirit and unity among the brethren.
{3} As the dew of Hermon,
and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD
commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
The dew of Hermon speaks of
refreshing, watering, life. Unity brings
these things.
In the New Testament –
(Phil 1:27
KJV) Only let your
conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ:
that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs,
that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith
of the gospel;
The Greek word for “conversation” has to do with
“citizenship”. We display to others that
we are citizens of heaven when we learn to stand together, working for the
gospel. Unity is how we walk in a manner
“worthy” of Jesus.
Unity is not just getting along with each other, but also
being on the same page as the Lord. Unity with God’s purposes.
God wants the gospel preached.
(Mat 18:20
KJV) For where two or
three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
We talk about Jesus being with us when there are two or
more gathered together in His name. But the verse before this one talks about
how we are to be “together”:
(Mat 18:19 KJV)
Again I say unto you, That if two
of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it
shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
God shows up when we learn to work with each other. God shows up when we work with Him.
:13 to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD
Lesson
God is looking for praise
God shows up when His people praise Him.
(Psa 22:3 KJV) But thou art holy, O thou
that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
(Psa 22:3 ICB) You sit as the Holy One. The praises of Israel
are your throne.
Why does God show up when His people praise Him?
Is it because He has a big head and likes to hear nice things said to Him?
No!
When we praise Him, we are showing that we trust Him.
(Heb 11:6 KJV) But without
faith it is impossible to please him: for he that
cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek him.
Praise is pretty powerful stuff.
Jehoshaphat found himself surrounded by three enemy armies who had joined
together to wipe him out. He called the
people to fast and pray, and God spoke encouraging words through a prophet.
(2 Chr 20:21-22 KJV)
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the
LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before
the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. {22}
And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments
against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir,
which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
It wasn’t until after the singers began to praise the Lord
that the deliverance came. It came
because they trusted God.
:13 For he is good; for his mercy endureth for
ever:
This was the message of their praise.
mercy – checed – goodness, kindness, faithfulness. It means loyal, steadfast, or
faithful love and stresses the idea of a belonging together of those involved
in the love relationship. It has the idea of God’s faithful love for His
unfaithful people.
Lesson
Focus on His love
All that God does towards us is based on His love.
That’s easy to believe when you’ve just won the Lottery, but for most of
us, life isn’t always pretty. We often face
some disappointing circumstances.
Remember Jehoshaphat? Look at the
content of what the singers were singing:
(2 Chr 20:21 KJV) …Praise
the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.
And they were doing this while being surrounded by enemy
armies.
Sometimes we don’t understand why difficult things happen. Could even
difficult times come out of God’s love?
Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-nego had a time in their lives when they
might have questioned God’s love for them.
They probably wondered what was going on when they had to make a choice
between following God and being thrown into a fiery furnace, or compromising
and giving in to the world.
(Dan 3:16-18 KJV) Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O
Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. {17} If it be
so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace,
and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. {18} But if not, be it known
unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden
image which thou hast set up.
They were thrown into the furnace as a result of their stand. But they weren’t alone in the furnace.
(Dan 3:25
KJV) He answered and
said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have
no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
And as a result of their taking a stand and doing what was right, pagan
king Nebuchadnezzar was impacted with the truth about God.
(Dan 3:28
KJV) Then
Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath
sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have
changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve
nor worship any god, except their own God.
Illustration
Tad Stewart took a church in Teheran, Iran.
He was married, had a wonderful family. And there they were on the streets of Teheran,
Iran, during revolution and
revolt and riot. The government under the Ayatollah closed his Presbyterian
church. It was a small, struggling Presbyterian church. Hardly
had any members. Very few showed up for worship. But the government came
in and burned all the Bibles and Sunday school curriculum, and took the church
newsletters, ripped them up, threw them away, and put them in the garbage. Then
they took a big padlock and locked the door of the church. They wiped their
hands and said, “Aha! We have closed Christianity in Iran.”
Tad Stewart and his wife opened their small home, and on Sunday mornings
people would go through the underground network. Nobody dared to say where they
were going, but they came along the streets early in the morning while it was
still dark and they came to the home for breakfast and for worship. Church
attendance grew until it doubled, and then it tripled. People had no Bibles,
only what they had at home. And they smuggled them. You would have thought they
were pure gold.
Tad said when he opened the Bible and read it, because it had been taken
from the people, they finally realized what a treasure was theirs. He said,
“When I read from it, you could have heard a pin drop.” He said it was as if
this was the very Word of God. He said for the first time in people’s lives
they began to take it seriously. Suddenly electricity and faith broke out in
that church, and soon that church grew and made an impact all over the city of Teheran,
all over the nation of Iran,
and even over that part of the Middle East.
God works in difficult times. He
still loves us.
Illustration
Joni Eareckson Tada writes, “A sacrifice of
praise will always cost you something. It will be a difficult thing to do. It
requires trading in our pride, our anger, and most valued of all, our human
logic. We will be compelled to voice our words of praise firmly and precisely,
even as our logic screams that God has no idea what He’s doing. Most of the
verses written about praise in God’s Word were penned by men and women who
faced crushing heartaches, injustice, treachery, slander, and scores of other
intolerable situations.”
Joni is quadriplegic, paralyzed as a young girl from a swimming accident.
How can I be so sure that God loves me?
(Rom 5:8 NASB) But God
demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us.
We can know beyond all doubt that God loves us because
Jesus died on a cross in our place.
For some of you, you may be at the point where you need to
turn to Him for the first time and give your heart to Him.
For some of you, you need to go back to the cross and
remember how much He loves you.
(Rom 8:32
KJV) He that spared not his own Son, but
delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all
things?
“All things” can include the tough times as well, but
tough times meant for our good.
:13 the house was filled with a cloud
This is what we call the “Shekinah”, the radiance, glory, or presence of God dwelling
among His people. The word shekinah is
derived from a Hebrew word meaning “to dwell”. The Hebrew word for the
Tabernacle, mishkan,
also is related to this word.
This happened because of the one voice, praising God and His love:
(2 Chr 5:13 NKJV) indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to
be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice …that the
house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud,
:14 So that the priests could not stand to
minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house
of God.
could not stand to minister – this doesn’t mean that they all fell
down or that they didn’t like their job anymore. It
means that they couldn’t do their jobs inside the Temple
and they had to go outside.
Lesson
Just enjoy the Lord
Sometimes you need to quit what you’re doing for awhile and just enjoy the
Lord.
Dwight L. Moody, was a great American evangelist
of the late 1800's. He had been encouraged by two gals in his church in Chicago
that he needed the Holy Spirit. They
talked to him through the summer of 1871, but his moment didn’t come until
fall, in the city of New York.
In broad daylight he walked down one of the busiest streets, Broadway or Fifth
Avenue - he scarcely remembered which - while
crowds thrust by, with the clop-clink of cabs and carriages and the shouting of
newsboys in his ears. The last chain
snapped. Quietly, without a struggle, he
surrendered. Immediately an overpowering
sense of the presence of God flooded his soul.
“God Almighty seemed to come very near.
I felt I must be alone.” He
hurried to the house of a friend nearby, sent up his card, and brushed aside an
invitation to “come and have some food.”
“I want to be alone. Let me have
a room where I can lock myself in.”
His host thought it best to humor him.
Moody locked the door and sat on the sofa. The room seemed ablaze with God. Moody dropped to the floor and lay bathing his
soul in the Divine. Of this communion,
this mount of transfiguration, he later would comment, “I can only say that God
revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to
ask Him to stay His hand.” Turmoil of
mind glided into peace, and conflict of character snapped into integration. That masterful strength which had hammered at
the gates of hell and charged full tilt at the world, the flesh, and the devil
was melted and remolded, leaving him gentle as a babe and utterly dependent
upon a power beyond his own.
From Moody The
Biography, by John Pollock, pgs 103-108.
These “God Moments” happen when we are together in unity, praising Him for
His love.