1. With Us When God is Tabernacle of God
1. Aim: To show how we will be blessed when God is with us and what we must do to be sure God is always with us. (CLICK)
2. Revelation 21:3 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
a. Tabernacle = A tent or cloth hut, - habitation,
3. Often we use the phrase in our prayers asking God to: “Be with us,” or, “Be with this one,” or, “Be with that one.”
4. What is meant by this expression?
5. Today we will examine the occasions when God said, “I will be with you,” and this will help us in providing the answer.
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” Rev. 21:3

2. 1. Old Testament “God is with Us”
Joseph
Betrayed by Brothers
“And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.” Gen. 39:2
Falsely Accused - Cast into Prison
“But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” Gen. 39:21
I. EXAMPLES OF THIS PHRASE IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES:
A. To Joseph:
1. Look at the troubles Joseph had.
a. Betrayed by own brothers;
b. Falsely accused of immorality;
c. Cast into prison.
2. But, Gen. 39:2, “And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.”
3. And again, Gen. 39:21, “But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”

3. 1. Old Testament “God is with Us”
Moses
“Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh”? Ex. 3:11
“I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Ex. 3:12
B. To Moses:
1. When the Lord appeared to Moses, Moses began to make excuses.
2. One question Moses asked was Exodus 3:11 “And Moses said to God, Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
3. God replied, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

4. 1. Old Testament “God is with Us”
Joshua
“No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.” Jos. 1:5
C. To Joshua:
1. Joshua was given the charge to go over the river and take the land of Canaan.
2. Joshua 1:5 “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.”
3. God further assured Joshua that the crossing of the Jordan on dry ground would show the people that God was with him, “And the LORD said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.”
“And the LORD said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” Jos. 3:7

5. 1. Old Testament “God is with Us”
Gideon
Israel oppressed by the Midianites
D. To Gideon:
1. When Israel was oppressed by the Midianites, God sent an angel to Gideon.
2. Judges 6:12 “And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!”
“And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, "The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!“ Jud. 6:12

6. 1. Old Testament “God is with Us”
David
- Young shepherd boy
- Faced the Giant Goliath
E. To David:
1. David, the young shepherd boy, took upon himself the tremendous task of facing Goliath, the giant.
2. As David was leaving the camp of his people, Saul said, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” - 1 Sam. 17:37
3. Two giants faced each other that day: one, a physical giant; the other, a spiritual giant.
4. The difference in the success of battle was in the fact that Jehovah God was with the spiritual giant and was not with the physical giant.
5. NOTE: David was to “GO.” God's people are always to GO.
“Saul said, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” 1 Sam. 17:37

7. 1. Old Testament “God is with Us”
Jeremiah
He was to go the people
“I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” Jer. 1:6
F. To Jeremiah:
1. When Jeremiah was given his commission to go to the people,
2. He began to make excuses and said “Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”
3. The Lord said, “Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.”
“Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the LORD.” Jer. 1:8

8. 1. Old Testament “God is with Us”
“I will be with you”
The assurance of success in whatever God wants us to do.
1. “I WILL BE WITH YOU,” is the assurance of success in whatever God wants to accomplish through the person whom God appoints to accomplish His purposes.

9. 2. Application Today “God is with Us”
Jesus gave the Great Commission - Matt. 28:19-20 Go
Teach all nations
Baptizing them
II. PRESENT DAY APPLICATIONS:
A. After giving the apostles the Great Commission, Matthew 28:19-20
1. Go - Teach all nations - Baptizing them
2. Jesus concluded His charge, “and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
“…and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

10. 2. Application Today “God is with Us”
Twelve Apostles had this great task
Unlearned Galileans – Acts 2:7
They were up to the task ! Why ?
They knew what Christ said:
“…and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
1. Just look at the task these 12 men faced.
2. They were unlearned Galileans. And they were to face a wicked world. Acts 2:7 “Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?”
3. But, they were up to the task, because Christ was with them every day.
4. You talk about difficulties and trials....
5. This is why we have many brave men and women who are willing to face hardships and difficulties in order to teach the gospel in difficult places; under trying circumstances and in the face of tremendous dangers.
6. They know God will be with them.

11. 2. Application Today “God is with Us”
Christians can face death with peace
“And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:7
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me.” Ps. 23:4
B. How can a Christian face death with a peace and confidence as they passes from this life into the realm that lies beyond?
1. Phil. 4:7 “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:7
2. The answer: Ps. 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me”

12. 2. Application Today “God is with Us”
“Be With Me Lord”
Fall of Melody & Harmony
8 days later - poem T.O. Chisholm
Perfect fit for the music
C. Song: “Be With Me Lord” # 778
1. We often sing the song: “Be with me Lord, no other gift or blessing. Thou couldst
bestow could with this one compare; A constant sense of Thy abiding presence.
Wher-e'er I am to feel that Thou art near.” (vs 3 of “Be With Me Lord.”)
2. History of how this song was written:
a. In the fall of 1934 brother L.O. Sanderson was working late. It was past
Midnight on a Monday night when he finally finished the melody. He was at
the office and He says: “...it was so late that the police, seeing a light and my
car still out, stopped and came in to check on me. A melody kept running
through my mind. I finally stopped what I was doing, and wrote out the
melody and then returned to my work. But the harmony kept place in my
mind. Again, I stopped and wrote the harmony to complete the music.”
b. It was 8 days later that he got a letter from Thomas O. Chisholm with some
words he had written for a song. He had been up late on that same Monday
night and had worked after midnight completing the poem. It was a perfect
fit to the music of L.O. Sanderson. Sanderson and Chisholm were living in
different states and several hundred miles from each other.
3. Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
4. It is comforting to know that we are not in this world alone. It is good to know that the Lord will never leave our side, no matter how dark and dreary life seems.
L.O. Sanderson
“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you.“ Heb. 13:5

13. 2. Application Today “God is with Us”
Revelation 21 “God is with us”
v. 1 New Heaven and New Earth
v. 2 New Jerusalem
v. 3 God will be with us
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.”
v. 4 No more tears
v. 5 All things new – 2 Cor. 5:17
v. 6 Alpha and Omega
v. 7 Inherit all things
D. Revelation 21:1-7
1. V. 1 - A new heaven and a new earth
a. This is simply another way of saying that in eternity there will be an entirely new order of things;
b. The old ways and old rules of life will no longer apply
2. V. 2 - New Jerusalem
a. This city is from heaven which makes it new.
b. Clearly, John was stretching language almost to the breaking point in this magnificent description, b/c no mere literal description of heaven could ever do justice to the beauty of what he saw.
3. V. 3 - God will be with us “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
a. What John saw is not just a place, but a condition of God's people redeemed from sin and freed from persecution and toil.
b. God's dwelling place is “with men” and in eternity we shall be forever in the presence of the God who created us and the Savior who died for us.
4. V. 4 - No more tears
a. With the passing of the old heaven and earth, there also passed all the bad things that made for unhappiness.
b. Heaven will have no mourning or crying or pain.
(1) Tears are the accompaniment of grief.
(2) Grief is usually most violent when it is for the dead.
(3) Whatever the cause of tears they will be abolished.
c. What a wonderful image of God, to think of Him as wiping away the tears of His people and offering eternal comfort.
5. V. 5 - All things new
a. The old things have passed away.
b. When one becomes a Christian all things become new
c. 2 Cor. 5:17 “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
6. V. 6 - Alpha and Omega - [first and last letters of the Greek alphabet]
a. He is the beginning and the end - He is the first and the last
b. God is the originator and completer of all things
c. God has the authority to begin and end all things according to His pleasures
d. How did these early Christians understand this?
(1) Everyone in their day were told that Rome is eternal.
(2) This little sect you follow the Nazarene, Christ, will die like the other sectarian groups here in Rome! But Rome will live on.
(3) The emperor will change and but the Roman Empire will continue.
(4) Here God said, “I am the beginning and the End.”
7. V. 7 - Inherit all things
a. Christ promised the 7 churches of Asia a reward for those who overcome.
b. To inherit is to receive by lot, obtain by the right of inheritance.

14. 3. When God Is Not With Us Numbers 14:1-4
Israel refused to go up and take the promised land
Later changed their mind
Moses Warned them that they would not succeed
“Because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.” Num. 14:43
They did indeed fail
III. WHEN IS GOD NOT WITH US
A. If success is assured when God is with us, failure results when God is not with us.
1. (Numbers 14:1-4) After the Israelites, in their lack of faith, refused to enter the promised land, some had a change of heart and decided to go up after all.
2. Moses warned them that they would not succeed, but would fall by the sword.
3. Numbers 14:43, “Because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.”
4. Their efforts, indeed, failed.
5. One may appear to succeed for awhile when the Lord is not with him, but eventually they will fail.

15. 3. When God Is Not With Us
Rev. 21:8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
People who will not follow and serve God
“wages of sin”
Second death - eternal damnation
B. Revelation 21:8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
1. These are the people who will not follow and serve God
2. This is the penalty or the “wages of sin” - Rom. 6:23
3. This is the second death - eternal damnation
4. God was not with them because they were not obedient to him.

16. God’s statement to Jeroboam
4. Conditions To Be Met
God’s statement to Jeroboam
“And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.” 1 Ki. 11:38
IV. CONDITIONS TO BE MET:
A. What must be true of someone if God is to be with him or her?
1. The answer is found in God's statement to Jeroboam after promising him ten of the twelve tribes:
2. 1 Kings 11:38 (ESV) “And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.”
3. Unfortunately, Jeroboam chose to follow his own ways rather than God's, and suffered the consequences of leading ten tribes into idolatry and destruction.
Jeroboam did not obey

17. Salvation is offered to all that obey Him
4. Conditions To Be Met
Application for us
“And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey Him” Heb. 5:9
Salvation is offered to all that obey Him
B. Application for us
1. Heb 5:9 “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him”
2. Jesus offers salvation freely to all them that obey Him.
a. It is not Jesus’ purpose to save men in their sins, but to save them from their sins.
b. He has, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man and so made an atonement for all, yet he nevertheless bestows salvation only on
those who obey him.
c. “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21.)
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matt. 7:21

18. When God is
With us
“If God be for us, who can be against us”? Rom. 8:31
“If” - Since God is for us, who can be against us?
Answer - Nobody
1. When God is with us
a. “If God be for us, who can be against us” ? Romans 8:31
b. “If”
c. Answer - Nobody

19. Is God with You ? We must seek His will and do it.
“The Lord is my shepherd” Ps. 23
Sheep obey and follow their shepherd
Have you obeyed the Gospel ?
2. Is God with You?
a. A VERY SOBERING QUESTION:
b. For God to be with us, we MUST seek His Will and do it.
3. Ps. 23. “The Lord is my shepherd ”
4. Sheep obey their shepherd.
5. Have you obeyed the gospel?

20. Salvation Hear the gospel (Rom. 10:17) Believe In Jesus (Jn. 8:24)
REPENT of your sins (Lk. 13:3)
Confess your faith (Matt. 10:32-33)
Baptized Into Christ (Acts 2:38)
REMISSION OF SINS
Faithful until death (Rev. 2:10)