Exodus 40
The final chapter of Exodus - the consecrating of the tabernacle. Have you ever put up a tent? I don't know about you, but whenever I set up one for the first time, it can get pretty chaotic. It takes practice for it to go smoothly. But, here we have Moses setting up this huge tent like tabernacle and then consecrating it and everything that is put in it all in one day. This is not a moment for chaos. It is a holy ritual, a holy moment, a holy day. It would, it should I think, be a time of reverence. Moses washes Aaron and his sons and consecrates them as the priests to serve God. Moses' hand anoints and consecrates all these things and then the big moment comes... the cloud covered the tent and the glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle, sealing the consecration. It was not just Moses, but everyone saw this cloud. It was this cloud they followed throughout their journey in the wilderness. They went where the cloud went. They stopped when the cloud stopped. At night, they saw the fire in this cloud.
This morning, my hands will wash a child. A child will be brought forth for the Sacrament of Baptism. My lips will speak the word of God. My hands will pour the water. But, it is the Lord God who baptizes. It is the Lord who washes this child, who consecrates him with the Holy Spirit and makes him his own. It is the the Lord who seals this covenant with the Holy Spirit and who will guide this child through the wilderness journey he is about to embark on. The journey will not always be easy as he will be tested and tempted in his journey. He will be tempted to stay put when the Lord says to go and when he says be still, stay here, the child will be tempted to go off in other directions on his own. But, this I am sure: the Lord will be with him to guide him, throughout his journey here on earth.
The final chapter of Exodus - the consecrating of the tabernacle. Have you ever put up a tent? I don't know about you, but whenever I set up one for the first time, it can get pretty chaotic. It takes practice for it to go smoothly. But, here we have Moses setting up this huge tent like tabernacle and then consecrating it and everything that is put in it all in one day. This is not a moment for chaos. It is a holy ritual, a holy moment, a holy day. It would, it should I think, be a time of reverence. Moses washes Aaron and his sons and consecrates them as the priests to serve God. Moses' hand anoints and consecrates all these things and then the big moment comes... the cloud covered the tent and the glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle, sealing the consecration. It was not just Moses, but everyone saw this cloud. It was this cloud they followed throughout their journey in the wilderness. They went where the cloud went. They stopped when the cloud stopped. At night, they saw the fire in this cloud.
This morning, my hands will wash a child. A child will be brought forth for the Sacrament of Baptism. My lips will speak the word of God. My hands will pour the water. But, it is the Lord God who baptizes. It is the Lord who washes this child, who consecrates him with the Holy Spirit and makes him his own. It is the the Lord who seals this covenant with the Holy Spirit and who will guide this child through the wilderness journey he is about to embark on. The journey will not always be easy as he will be tested and tempted in his journey. He will be tempted to stay put when the Lord says to go and when he says be still, stay here, the child will be tempted to go off in other directions on his own. But, this I am sure: the Lord will be with him to guide him, throughout his journey here on earth.
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