Our Theme Verse for 2017 1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 1
Rainbow Forest Mission Statement Connecting the Disconnected to Christ, Community and the Call Our Purpose To glorify God in everything we say and do Connecting Through the Word Are You In The Right Place? Are You In Tune? Numbers 1-4 2
Numbers 1:1-5 1 The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head. 3 From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company. 4 And there shall be with you a man from each tribe, each man being the head of the house of his fathers. 5 And these are the names of the men who shall assist you. From Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur; In chapter 1, verses 4 through 16 Specific men are chosen to lead each tribe. They were given the responsibility of numbering their tribe of the men above 20 years old and able to go to war. The only tribe exempted from this censes was the Levites who were to take care of the tabernacle. 3
In Chapter 2, the tribes are told where they are to camp and in what order they are to march when they break camp and journey. Numbers 2:1-4 1 The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side. 3 Those to camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah by their companies, the chief of the people of Judah being Nahshon the son of Amminadab, 4 his company as listed being 74,600. In Chapter 3, the Levites are given to Aaron to supervise them in caring for the tabernacle. Numbers 3:14-17 14 And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 15 List the sons of Levi, by fathers houses and by clans; every male from a month old and upward you shall list. 16 So Moses listed them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. 17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari. 4
In Chapter 4, very specific instructions are given to the three families of the Levites. Numbers 4:1-5 1 The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their clans and their fathers houses, 3 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting. 4 This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things. 5 When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it. The time of service was specified from 30 years old to 50 years old. The exact detail of service was given and how it was to be done. Every object and furnishing that was a part of the tabernacle was covered in how it would be handled and carried. The Kohathites were to take care of the furnishing inside the tabernacle. The Gershonites were to take care of the tabernacle covering and the outer fence. The Merarites were to take care of the pillars and the post, the structural elements of the tabernacle. 5
Everyone had a designated place to be and a specific responsibility to perform. Everyone was need to be in the right place at the right time doing the right thing!!!!!!!! Actually it s no different in the NT Church. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body Jews or Greeks, slaves or free and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 6
20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 7
Ephesians 4:1-4 1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call Ephesians 4:15-16 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. 8
Romans 12:4-8 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Paul instructs the NT churches that each member has a spiritual gift that is given to them to benefit the whole body. The gift of prophecy The gift of serving The gift of teaching The gift of exhortation The gift of giving The gift of administration The gift of mercy 9
The three major NT passages on Spiritual gifts are Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, 13, 14, and Ephesians 4. Altogether there is some 15 or so gifts that are given to the church. Each member is given at least 3 different gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. And I believe one of these is probably a primary gift from the list in Romans 12. For the church to be the effective, healthy body of Christ that impacts and influences the world and passes our faith down to the next generation it will take every member being in the right place and doing the right thing. This week at Straight Street First Thursday, How to Keep Your Sanity in an Insane World. I m convince, that if you want to really be fulfilled in life, to be a person of significance, to be successful, to must fulfill the purpose for which God created you and placed you in His Body, the Church. You must have a purpose and something to live for bigger than yourself. An eternal purpose that brings great glory to God God s heart is for the lost of this world John 3:16 10
Your first ministry is to your family. In Nehemiah the walls were rebuilt in 52 days How? Every person was assigned a place to labor on the wall Guess where it was. Right behind their own houses.. Why? That s where you lived and should be the most concerned about. The wall was to keep the enemy out. If the wall was weak, not well built, that s where the enemy would come through first. Some of us are not in the right place and doing the right thing Amazing, we might also be in the right place but we might not be doing the right thing. Then some of us might be in the right place, and doing the right thing but doing it for the wrong motives. and in the wrong energy. We are out of tune with God.. 11
It s so obvious that God is a God of order and not of confusion!!!! 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Wuest NT for God is not a God of disorder but of harmony. 1 Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order. As we study Numbers. What is God speaking to us about today? He has a place for you. He has a task for you He has a time for you to do that task He wants you to be in tune with Him.. so that His Spirit is the one who fills you, controls you, leads you, empowers you and works through you doing the will and work of God!!!!! 12
Martha Spencer is here to help me with a brief illustration to make this point today. She is going to play this first violin that has 4 strings the strings represent you. They have to be in the right place and prepared to do the right thing.. like be in tune but one or two of these strings are there but not in tune.listen. Now this violin, has all the strings in the right place and they are all in tune just waiting to played by the Master s hand to produce a beautiful and harmonious melody that will bring comfort and encouragement to all who hear it.. Listen!!!!! The Touch of the Master s Hand 'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer Thought it scarcely worth his while To waste much time on the old violin, But held it up with a smile. "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried, "Who'll start the bidding for me?" "A dollar, a dollar. Then two! Only two? Two dollars, and who'll make it three?" 13
"Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice; Going for three " But no, From the room, far back, a grey-haired man Came forward and picked up the bow; Then wiping the dust from the old violin, And tightening the loosened strings, He played a melody pure and sweet, As a caroling angel sings. The music ceased, and the auctioneer, With a voice that was quiet and low, Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow. "A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two? Two thousand! And who'll make it three? Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice, And going and gone," said he. 14
The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not quite understand. What changed its worth?" Swift came the reply: "The touch of the Master's hand." And many a man with life out of tune, And battered and scarred with sin, Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd Much like the old violin. A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine, A game and he travels on. He is "going" once, and "going" twice, He's "going" and almost "gone." But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd Never can quite understand The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought By the touch of the Master's hand. Myra Brooks Welch 15
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