Destruction of the TABERNACLE

Sermon Starter

When this phrase is used many people automatically think in terms of Biblical prophesy, Daniel’s 70th week and God’s end-time timetable. I used the Destruction of the Tabernacle as a deliberate phrase that refers to human mortality, aging and the brevity of life.

The physical reminders of aging are everywhere. The roof of our physical “tent” gets threadbare. (Balding) Our manly chests fall to our navels and we feel the pull of gravity when we walk.

Our eyes grow dim from cataracts and we wheeze at the slightest effort.

This present tabernacle that we presently live in is a temporary (temporal) dwelling place. One day soon the tabernacle of our flesh will see destruction, but our spirits will rise in the presence of Almighty God.

 

Pastor Phil  <><<

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 3, 2008 - Sheepfold Ministries

Pastor Phil Roland

 Destruction of the TABERNACLE

2 Corinthians 4:16-5:8

“Even though we walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, God is present to take us into it and out of it. Jesus is our good shepherd.”                  Pastor Phil

 

“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”             2 Cor. 5:1

 

I.  DO NOT LOSE HEART – 2 Corinthians 5:16

            A. Twin Scourges: Discouragement and Hopelessness

            ” But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power

may be of God and not of us.  We are hard pressed on every side, yet not

crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not

forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the

body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be

manifested in our body.”  2 Corinthians 4:7-10

            B. We do not surrender to Despair – 2 Cor. 4:16;  17-18

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet

inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles

are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our

eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary,

but what is unseen is eternal.”

1. Despair robs us of motivation

            2. Despair takes away our will to live: Exhort one another!

 

II.  GET HEAVEN’S PERSPECTIVE – v. 17

     “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more

       exceeding and eternal weight of glory,

          A. Time is an Earthly Invention / There are no clocks in heaven

            B. Heaven is not bound by Earthly Clocks

                        1. Mankind’s timepiece is in their chests

                        2. “Lub-lub, lub-lub, lub-lub. . .”

            C. We are unable to compare this struggle with what is to come

"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the

 things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Cor. 2:9

 

III.  KEEP YOUR EYES FIXED ON THE ETERNAL – v. 18

          A. Empiricism – Aristotle’s language

                        1. Five Senses is all there is

                                    a. Touch

                                    b. Taste

                                    c. See

                                    d. Hear

                                    e. Smell

           

DESTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE, cont.

 

2. Greek thinking dominates the Western World

                                    a. Epicureans – 300 B.C. worshipped physical pleasure

                                    b. Sensualists and Hedonists

            B. Sixth sense – The God’s Sense / Mankind is spiritual

 

IV.  GOD’S BUILDING IS A RESURRECTION BODY – V. 5:1

      “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a

        building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

            A. A Body that Will Be Indestructible – 1 John 3:2

                 ”Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet

                  been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like

      him, for we shall see him as he is.”

                1. Not limited by Mortality

                        2. No need to Sleep or Rest

                        3. No need for Food

                        4. No Aging Problems / Infirmities

                        5. No problem Hearing and Obeying God

            B. We shall be both WITH Him and LIKE Him – John 13:2,3

                 "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told

                  you. I go to prepare a place for you. "And if I go and prepare a place for you,

                 will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be

                 also. “

IV.  PRESENTLY WE ARE OUTSIDE OF GOD’S PROVISION

       “So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we

         are absent from the Lord.” 2 Cor. 5:6

1. A.     We are NOT at home here

1. We groan for what is to come

2. We greatly anticipate what is to come

            B. When we leave this present body we will find His provision true

                 “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to

       be present with the Lord.” 2 Cor. 5:8

      1. No grave slumber, no sleeping

      2. Just present with Him        

“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”             2 Cor. 5:1

Destruction of the TABERNACLE, texts:

2 Corinthians 4:16-5:8

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,

18  while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

5:1  For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,

3  if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked.

4  For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.

5  Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6  So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.

7  For we walk by faith, not by sight.

8  We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.