The tabernacle was far more than a portable worship center. It was God's dwelling place among his people—a sacred space where heaven and earth overlapped once again. In this sermon, we explore how the tabernacle pointed beyond itself to Jesus Christ, who fulfilled every promise it made. Through Christ, sinners can draw near to God, enjoy his presence, and receive full atonement for their sins. And through the gift of the Holy Spirit, God's people have become his dwelling place on earth, serving as an outpost of his kingdom while awaiting the day heaven and earth are united forever.

In Exodus 20:12–21, God gives us the second table of the Ten Commandments: our duties toward one another. These commands are not burdens meant to crush us, but gifts meant to help us flourish in truth, goodness, and love. Yet as God’s law reaches beyond our actions and into our hearts, it also humbles us — exposing our sin and our need for a Savior. Ultimately, the law drives us to Jesus Christ, who fulfilled it perfectly and gives his people new hearts that delight to walk in God’s ways.

The Ten Commandments are difficult, but not burdensome. The exclusive worship of God — in the way that he wants us to worship — is actually burden-lifting and full of rest. As we dive into the first four commandments in this sermon, we’ll find that the fourth (rest) is not possible without the first.

We were created for fellowship with a God whose presence we cannot endure. How can we — who are unholy because of sin — enter into the presence of a holy God? We’ll need a Mediator, who can represent God to us, and us to God; a Mediator who can make us fit for his presence.