Keep Those Lamps Burning

Exodus 27.20-21 Remember from two weeks ago the Lamp Stand was and is the Church. The Tabernacle and later the Temple contained the Golden Lamp Stands. In Revelation the Church are the Lamp stands. No mention of the building. We, God’s people, are it. Revelation 1.19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstandsis this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. Luke 12.35 Jesus said, “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning.” This an exhortation from the LORD. Be dressed Be ready to serve Stay awake Let your light shine He gave this to His disciples at a time when persecution would break out against the church. By the end of the century Christians would be burned, beheaded, band to Islands like Patmos. Wherever they were, they were to keep those lamp stands burning. This is true for us in 2026, here in America and in all other 195 nations. Pray that as a House of Prayer for all nations. How we need to keep the eternal perspective. This life is a mist, a vapor, like the grass of the field, it is soon past. Eternity is forever. Suffering must be seen from an eternal perspective. Riches too. Evil as well. It will not be much longer. Now to the lamps on those stands. * The lamps were fueled by Olive Oil. Olive oil was a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The light of the church is fueled by the Holy Spirit. He is the breath of the church. There is no substitute. If you try you will soon find the lamps burning out. To be fueled by the Spirit we need to be filled with the Spirit.  Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5.18 Be filled and keep on being filled. This was to be a daily filling. In the Word and in prayer. Praying, “Fill me this day, LORD, with Your Holy Spirit.” He knows what is ahead for each day. We do not. May Your Spirit gush like torrents of living water from within me. Help me to yield to Your Spirit, not my flesh. Again the focus was to keep them filled so they would not go out Before my Dad would go to bed he would bring in enough wood for the fireplace. That fire would heat the house. He saw to it that it would not out. In the middle of the night he would get up and put in a few more pieces of wood. Wood fueled the fire. Wax and a wick light a candle. Oil fuels a lamp. It was golden, unlike the brick fireplace and the glass candle. * They were to burn through the night. In our darkest moments we can be assured that He will fill us with His Spirit. Songs in the Night Job 35.10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,     Who gives songs in the night, Proverbs 24. 10  If you falter in a time of trouble,     how small is your strength! Night time. When sin is the greatest. In the darkness of night the lamps filled brightly burned. Keep those lamps filled with oil so when the night comes you can see. Matthew 25.1 At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. Notice they were all virgins. Blameless character. They all went to meet the Bridegroom. Could be that the foolish virgins never had the Holy Spirit. Could be that they did not attend to their own spiritual lives. * This was a lasting ordinance. It was not just for biblical times. It is for today. How we need the Light today! In these confusing and dark times, the Light shows us the way. The Holy Spirit gives us direction: From the God breathed Word From Within If you don’t have the Word hidden deep within your heart you can mistake emotions or your understanding for the Holy Spirit. The Light shines in darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. In this time, when we need it, the Light is shining. It is for today and until Jesus returns.

The Lamp Stand: The Church

The Lamp Stand: The Church Exodus 25.31-40 We are seeing the beginning of the building plans for the Tabernacle. This was the earliest form of organized worship of the LORD. The second was the Church as we will see this morning. The Lamp Stand was to remind the priests that Israel was to be a light to the world. God was shining His light through them. There would be a place for prayer for all the nations called The Court of the Gentiles. When the Temple was built this was the place to meet with God, Jew and Gentile. This was to be made precisely to the specifications God gave Moses. The Church is shown to be the Lamp Stand in Revelation 1.20 …the seven lampstands are the seven churches. This is NOT a denomination. This is not an association. This is definitely not a Headquarters or Satellites. It is not a fixed system of theology, beyond what we all agree on. It is not church government. These are individual churches, as in the Book of Revelation with an Angel, Messenger or Pastor. This is the Body of Christ Matthew 5.14 You are the light of the world Ephesians 5.8 Live as children of the Light Philippians 2.15 Shine like stars in the universe I John 1 Walk in the Light So what are the specifications for the Church? Jesus addresses the ills in the messages letters to the 7 churches There were issues of forsaking their first love, persecution, idolatry, tolerating false teachers, spiritual death, little strength, and dependence upon riches. Molly Kathleen Mine, Cripple Creek Colorado, 1000 feet down One of our relatives, a Lawrence, died out there, digging for gold! On When the Lampstands shine bright… All of these would be light in the dark world: * First, Jesus said He would build it. Built with Light Bright Illumination Build= erect a building, restore a building Equip= set broken bones, mend ripped nets He is speaking of a spiritual building Psalm 104.2 The LORD wraps Himself in light as with a garment; Jesus is His own witness. * Second, the Holy Spirit brings people in. They come in when they are born of the Spirit. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6.44 How is the Lamp Stand powered? By olive oil, symbol of the Holy Spirit Zechariah 4.6 Not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit says the LORD. They would come to the Light. Let your light shine! * Third, There are activities of the Church: Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Spiritual Activities No mention of board meetings or committees No mention of offerings or worship music. No mention of age group ministry Spiritual Building not physical Devoted To * The Word of God Lights are going on all time as we read, study and meditate upon the Word Growing in understanding as the lights go off in our minds! When we walk with the LORD’s, in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way! There is a glory, an illumination as we read the Word. Luke 24. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Psalm 119.105 Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a Light for my path. * Fellowship There is something different about fellowship with the Church. It is fellowship of light. You will not hear foul language here. You will not hear dirty jokes. You will have understanding given and received. You will be blessed by it You will be strengthened by it. You will help others in it. I saw it last Sunday when we took the LORD’s Supper together. If Jesus is present then we will exclaim, “God is with us.” Emmanuel * Eating Together and Taking the LORD’s Supper This too is a time of joyful illumination. This is a time of Spiritual Nourishment Good Digestion Lights should go on as we take it. As we get nearer to Heaven this makes it clearer. * Prayer You leave these prayer meetings with brightness and glory. Shekeniah Glory Light comes to people from prayer meetings when their prayers are answered. We are leaving to be lights. Shine brightly. If you follow Jesus you will.

The Slrinkling of Blood on the People

The Sprinkling of the Blood On The People Exodus 24.1-8 From the beginning, from Genesis 4.4 blood sacrifices were made to the LORD, before the law has been given. In Exodus the Covenant is being instituted. The Old Covenant was by the blood of lambs, bulls and goats. There were all kinds of sacrifices. There were morning and evening ones. There were ones for Holy Days. There was the Passover when huge amounts of lambs would be slaughtered, one for every 10 people in Israel. The last census by Josephus estimated that 250,000 were slaughtered for the Passover in Jerusalem. In this case here the blood was sprinkled on the people. Beautiful robes/ garments were made for the High Priests, only to be stained by oil and blood, from the anointing and the sacrifices. * The Blood Reminded The People That A Sacrifice Had To Made For Sin. This morning as we take the LORD’s Supper and we take the cup in our hands it reminds us of our sin. Jesus shed His blood. The sprinkling of blood showed everyone sinned. When they saw the High Priest walking among them, they would see the breastplate with the 12 stones, one for each tribe, a son of Jacob/ Israel. He carried the people on his heart They would see the two stones, one on each shoulder, inscribed with six of the tribes. He shouldered the people’s burdens. He served until he died. Then his eldest son would take his place. When they saw the oil and blood stained garments it reminded them that this anointed individual made sacrifices for their sins. * The Blood Showed That God Provided For Atonement For The People’s Sin From the beginning we were told that without the shedding of blood, there can be no remission for sins. Hebrews 9.22 * The promise to Abraham when he offered up Isaac. Genesis 22. 8 Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. 9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven,“Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD’s it will be provided.” * The Promise of the Sacrifice of God’s Son, Jesus. John 3.16 Isaiah 53 Hebrews 12. 18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the cityof the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. * The Sprinkling of Blood Showed Cleansing Was Provided For All Christ died for the whole world.. John 3.16 God loves this world, every person. All 196 Nations All 8.3 Billion People From India’s 1.48 Billion to Pitcairn Islands with its 35 people * Now, Under the New Covenant We Drink the Blood! Mark 14. 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take it; this is My body.” 23 Then He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 “This is My blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for many,” He said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.” Now we come to the Table Now we remember His Body and His Blood We are not just sprinkled. We are washed in the blood of the Lamb Hymn #259 Are You Washed In the Blood of the Lamb? The Lamb Who had been slain Revelation 4-5 What was going on with John in Patmos? What is going on all over the Earth now? What is going on now in Heaven? We are joining in the worship as we remember the Lamb that was slain and is alive forevermore.