Sermon on 7 July 2024 by Sister Hui Ling

Revelation 21:3 - “I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.”
Exodus 25:8-9 - ““Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them. You must build this Tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.”
The Israelites were slaves in Egypt. Their ancestor, Abraham, moved to a land near Canaan. They moved to Egypt because of a great famine. One of the brothers, Joseph, was in Egypt and he managed to gather his family to Egypt and multiplied into a great nation. In Egypt, they were oppressed when the previous Pharaoh passed away. They cried out to God and God brought them out of Egypt. Many things happened when the Israelites moved out of Egypt. God’s presence filled the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. Israelites encamped around the Tabernacle of God.
The Ark of Covenant resides in the Holy of Holies within the Tabernacle. A covenant is a contract between God and people. It consists of the Mercy seat + Ten Commandments + Aaron’s Staff + Manna. On top of the Ark of Covenant, there are 2 cherubims. Their wings touch each other to cover the Mercy Seat.
Psalms 85:10 - “Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed!”
There are 12 sons of Jacob, who is also called Israel. However, there are 13 of them in Numbers 2. It is because Joseph has 2 sons and before Jacob passed on, he asked for the 2 sons of Joseph and blessed them. Hence, there are 2 half tribes called Ephraim and Manasseh.
Based on God’s instructions, whether they are on the move or when they set up the camp, the Ark of Covenant of God is in the middle of the nation of Israel.
Revelation 21:3 - “I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.”
God wants to be with us and in us. How shall we love our God with us and in us?
Follow God’s Instructions Exactly
Exodus 25:8-9 - ““Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them. You must build this Tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.”
Numbers 2
Jeremiah 31:33 - ““But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
Hebrews 10:15-16 - “And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says, “This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.””
The Book of Jeremiah is from the Old Testament while The Book of Hebrews is from the New Testament. It is a very consistent message that God gives us.
When God instructs to give / serve / show mercy, follow them exactly. So, don’t excuse yourself from the task. Instead, take up your Cross and follow Jesus.
Matthew 6:3-4 - “But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”
2 Corinthians 9:11-12 - “Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.”
2. Recognise you need the Holy Spirit - parakletos
Parakletos is the Greek word for ‘comforter’ or ‘counsellor’.
Luke 5:31 - “Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”
Do we see our need for God? Only when we see our need for God, then we will recognise our need for the Holy Spirit.
John 14:15-17 - ““If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”
James 4:13-16 - “Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.”
As we make plans, we realise that not all plans go through. If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this and that. Trust in the Lord.
God wants to dwell with us and in us. He wants to be in the centre of our lives. He will be able to guide us through. God will make our paths straight. But we need to take up our Cross, no matter how comfortable we are. We need to recognise the Holy Spirit in our lives. Would you?
Amen.
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