What You Miss When You Miss - Pastor Stacey Shiflett

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What You Miss When You Miss

Exodus 33:7-11

Intro: We are coming up on Jubilee. We will have some amazing messages and awesome services.

I just don’t want anyone to miss a single service.

I woke up this morning with the thought on my heart; what do you miss when you miss?

The truth is, many times, you never know what you miss.

God won’t let you know what you missed.

Sometimes, what you missed was meant only for you.

And if you were not there to get it, you missed.

And nobody can tell you that you missed it because God only intended it to be for you.

The Bible is filled with examples of this that we could give.

God did amazing things at amazing times – all in the house of God, and these people didn’t miss it.

But the crazy thing is this – none of them knew prior to going to the house of God what would happen.

They just happened to be there when it happened, so because they didn’t miss church, they didn’t miss out!

I. You Might Miss Hearing the Voice of God

SEE Exodus 33:7-11

· 7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.

· 8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.

· 9 And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.

· 10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.

· 11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

Moses went into the tabernacle in verse 8.

All the rest of the people stood in the door of their tent.

They looked after Moses, and watched him disappear into the tabernacle.

Those that didn’t go into the Tabernacle didn’t hear it.

Moses did. And Joshua I’m sure did.

I don’t have to convince you that God speaks to you when you’re here in the services.

When you miss the service, you miss the voice of God.

You miss God speaking to you in the singing and in the preaching.

II. You Might Miss Seeing the Glory of God

2 Chronicles 7:1-3

· 1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.

· 2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’S house.

· 3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

III. You Might Miss Getting an Answer from God

SEE 1 Samuel 1:7-17

· 7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

· 8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

· 9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.

· 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

· 11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

· 12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.

· 13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

· 14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

· 15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

· 16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

· 17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

She went to the Temple to pray.

God gave her an answer through someone else that was also in the Temple.

She could have prayed at home, but she might have missed getting her answer from God.

IV. You Might Miss Receiving Understanding from God

SEE Psalm 73:2-17

· 2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

· 16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

· 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

Asaph was struggling with the seemingly success and prosperity of the wicked.

But going to church made a difference.

If he had stayed home from church, according to his own words, his steps had well nigh slipped.

But because he didn’t miss the service, he didn’t miss out on God giving him understanding.

God gave him a fresh perspective.

V. You Might Miss Experiencing the Promise from God

Luke 2:25-31

· 25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

· 26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

· 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

· 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

· 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

· 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

He had been promised that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

But if he had missed going to the temple that day, he would have missed the promise of God.

God did His part; God sent the Messiah. God kept his end of the bargain.

God brought the Christ-child right to the temple.

Good thing Simeon didn’t miss that day!

Look what he would have missed out on if he had missed!

How many times do we ask God to do something big in our life.

We beg him to meet a need; to do something amazing, and then miss the very service where God might want to fulfill that promise?

VI. You Might Miss Witnessing the Confirmations of God

John 20:19-25

· 19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

· 20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

· 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

· 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

· 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

· 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

We can all agree on one thing. Thomas missed out.

Jesus came and stood in the midst.

He said Peace be unto you.

He showed them his hands and his side. Then they were glad.

Verse 22 says that Jesus breathed on them.

He breathed on every one of them that were there.

But Thomas wasn’t there.

God showed up and He breathed on His disciples.