FHBC Sermon Notes

What does it mean to be devoted? Are you devoted your spouse, your family? Is a soldier devoted to country? What about our God? God is devoted to us, are we devoted to him?The word unadulterated means to be undiluted, to be pure and genuine. Full and complete, faithful and loyal. 
This chapter is a fitting end to the book of Exodus. It looks at the people of Israel's response to God's devotion. Much of these chapters look like a repeat of 25-31.  We learn that the tabernacle is the dwelling place of God, the only place of worship and sacrifice before their God. In 25-31 we saw very outlined instructions for its construction.  Here in 35-40 we see an almost verbatim repeat of the building instructions, now repeated in the past tense.

This tabernacle though is a foreshadow of what is to come, for God promised to dwell eternal. In the light of the gospel, we know now that is fulfilled in Jesus.

Rather than repeat the sermon from two weeks ago, now we will look to the response of the people to this devotion from God. What does this say about them? What does it say about us?

What does unadulterated devotion to God look like?

1) Unadulterated devotion to God requires an absolute, unconditional obedience to the work of God.
How do we know we are devoted? How do you show devotion to your boss, the company you work for, to your parents as a child?  Do we not first and foremost obey their commands? 

Look at the instructions, the measurements given, and you see that the people built it as planned and required. They did not deviate, alter, expand upon, etc. In their faithfulness of obedience they showed their devotion.

How do we do this ourselves? We do the same.

John 14:21-24 - 21Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me swill be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.

2) Unadulterated devotion to God expresses itself in an unbridled, overflowing generosity to God from a willing heart.

Jim says he is a sucker with his children, that he has trouble saying know to their requests. It is because he loves them that this is so. I am so much the same in this one. Sometimes you feel like you can't say no. 

See Exodus 35:20-29. See the generosity of the people as a way of devotion.  They gave of what they had and in great abundance. This was not a tax, but a voluntary gift, from a thankful heart, a joyful and generous heart. God should have destroyed them for their rebellion with the golden calf. Yet this is more than tribute. God had not just shown mercy, but returned them to complete fellowship.

As so, they gave more than gifts as well, they gave their time.  Even after the needs were met, they still brought things. Moses had to give a command to restrain them for bringing more gifts.

3) Unadulterated devotion to God facilitates a continuous, abiding fellowship with the living and glorious God.

Fellowship, is this not the sweet joy of friendship. The feeling that just wants to be in each others presence. The comfort and peace of being together. This is what I enjoy about my wife, what I enjoy about good friends: to be in their presence, to know their voice, their love.

Look at what happens in this story after all is complete. 40:34-38.  It is moving day for God. Where are the people of God. Is it this building, Forest Height Baptist? Or is it the people of God? Because of Jesus we are the people of God. We are the tabernacle.

Yet this is just a taste of what is to come. God dwells with man, and man dwells with God.  Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus! Amen.