Bloor Lansdowne Christian Fellowship – BLCF Church Message for Sunday:
‘Preparing for the Day When We exchange Our Tent for a Building’
© October 1, 2017 by Steve Mickelson
Announcements and Call to Worship; Prayer Opening Hymn #200: The Church’s One Foundation; Choruses Prayer and Tithing Hymn #572: Praise God from Whom All Blessings Responsive Reading #654: The Holy City (-from Revelation 21) Message shared by Steve Mickelson: ‘Preparing for the Day When We exchange Our Tent for a Building’
Let us pray…
The Lesson I would like to share with you today at BLCF is entitled: ‘Preparing for the Day When We exchange Our Tent for a Building’
It is interesting observation that most people endeavor to find permanence to the relationships in their lives. So it is young people may date, but ultimately hope to find their one true “soul mate” for the rest of their days.
There is nothing better than a lasting friendship with someone with someone you can always trust and rely upon.
The same is true for anyone who has lived the lifestyle described as: itinerant, wandering, roving, roaming, touring, saddlebag, nomadic, gypsy, migrant, vagrant or vagabond.
While such lifestyle may initially seem exciting or romantic, after a while most of us get tired of living on the road, being quite content to have a place of permanence to call home.
Who among us can say that they have embarked upon an extended trip or journey, which initially seemed to promise excitement and adventure, and find ourselves both relieved and grateful to finally arrive back home?
So it was with the People of Israel, who were led by Moses, who in-turn was led by God, to wander the desert for generations to a permanent home in the Promised Land. While they journeyed, they lived in tents which could be easily struck for the next leg of their journey. Even the Temple where they worshipped was housed in a tent.
Over time the People of Israel, who had longed to be delivered from their bondage in Egypt, sought to find a place which they could permanently call home. They wanted to exchange their tents for a permanent residence made of a more enduring material, such as brick and stone.
We have a few Scripture Verses today, some which reference having a tent for a home. However the tent is not intended to describe a place where one lives, but is used as a metaphor for the body in which we live.
Evangelist Billy Graham is quoted as saying: “To the Christian death is the exchanging of a tent for a building.” The building exists in heaven, as John records the Lord’s description in John 14:1-7 (ESV):
I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life
14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God;[a] believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”[c] 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.[d]From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Footnotes: a. John 14:1 Or You believe in God b. John 14:2 Or In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you c. John 14:4 Some manuscripts Where I am going you know, and the way you know d. John 14:7 Or If you know me, you will know my Father also, or If you have known me, you will know my Father also
As Christians, who believe that Jesus died for our salvation and who have decided to follow and accept the ‘Way, Truth and Light’ of the Lord, our choice also brings us the gift of the Holy Spirit of God, Who comes to help transform our bodies from ordinary ‘tents’ to ‘Tabernacles of God’s New Covenant of Salvation’, to live a new life, transformed in the likeness of the Lord, Ephesians 4:17-24 (ESV):
The New Life
17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self,[a] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Footnotes: a. Ephesians 4:22 Greek man; also verse 24
Those who believe in the Gospel of the Resurrected Christ, Jesus are promised us a heavenly dwelling which is eternal in exchange for our current mortal tent-like bodies, 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 (ESV):
Our Heavenly Dwelling
5 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on[a] we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Footnotes: a. 2 Corinthians 5:3 Some manuscripts putting it off
Our current body is described as being like dwelling in a tent which is separate and away from the Lord. But we have the hope and faith that we will go to live forever in a new home which is a permanent that Lord has prepared for us, Revelation 21:1-11 (ESV):
The New Heaven and the New Earth
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place[a] of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,[b] and God himself will be with them as their God.[c] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
The New Jerusalem
9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
Footnotes: a. Revelation 21:3 Or tabernacle b. Revelation 21:3 Some manuscripts peoples c. Revelation 21:3 Some manuscripts omit as their God
Let us pray…
Communion: Matthew 26:26-28 ( -see below)
Closing Hymn #546: Sing the Wondrous Love of Jesus
Benediction – 2 Corinthians 5:1 (ESV) – Our Heavenly Dwelling:
5 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Bloor Lansdowne Christian Fellowship BLCF Church 