Ii Chronicles 22:1
God can be met in any place with a holy heart, and He meets us in simplicity, tribulation, justice, confession of sin, sacrifice, and peace.
Chuck Smith explores the significance of the threshing floor of Ornan as a meeting place with God, emphasizing that God's temple can be found in simple, unadorned places rather than grand structures. He illustrates that true encounters with God occur in moments of affliction and tribulation, where one can recognize the weight of sin and the need for sacrifice. The sermon highlights that the place of sacrifice, much like Calvary, is where God meets humanity, offering peace and redemption. Smith encourages believers to understand that every location can be holy if approached with a sincere heart, and that the cost of true religion is significant.
Text
"THE THRESHING FLOOR OF ORNAN"
Intro: David looking for sight to erect temple - a place to build
alter - a place for ark. Jehovah - Jireh - in that Mt. shall the
Lord be where Abraham offered His son as sacrifice - there
sacrifices to be offered to God. David saw angel with unshuntled
sword and cried, "This is the house of the Lord my God - and this
is the alter of the burnt-offering for Israel. " Where may God be
met? Where can offender meet God? - the cross a meeting
place - the place of sacrifice.
I. WHERE SHALL GOD'S TEMPLE BE?
A. Externally there is nothing in any place that God should meet
with man.
1. Simple - unadorned - unecclesiastical place, no fancy
architecture.
2. Place of ordinary toil. Every place is holy where a
holy heart is found.
3. In the possession of a Jebusite.
4. It had to be bought with money - religion that cost a
man nothing is worth as much.
II. SPIRITUALLY THE THRESHING FLOOR OF ORNAN ADMIRABLE TYPE OF HOW GOD
MEETS WITH MAN.
A. Extreme simplicity.
1. Golden corn being separated from husks by corn drag.
a. Where did the corn come from?
2. I meet God where He give me food.
a. On my job.
B. Threshing floor - type of affliction.
1. Latin word for threshing - tribulation.
2. Meet God in tribulations.
C. Place where justice clearly manifest.
1. Angel of God with drawn sword.
2. Some have never seen sin in its consequences and doom.
3. Take away the dread of the wrath to come and you take
away reason for people to fly to God.
4. Men do not cry, "Lord save me" until forced to add
"or I perish."
5. David saw results of his sin on others.
D. Place where sinfully confessed 21:17.
E. Place where sacrifice offered and accepted hastily piled up
stones - took oxen used in threshing.
1. Calvary place where sacrifice offered and accepted.
F. He saw the sign of peace-the angel had put sword back in
sheath.
Sermon Outline
- I. WHERE SHALL GOD'S TEMPLE BE?
- A. Externally, God can be met in any place with a holy heart.
- B. Spiritually, the threshing floor of Ornan is a type of how God meets with man.
- A. God meets us in simplicity.
- B. God meets us in tribulation.
- C. God meets us in justice.
- D. God meets us in confession of sin.
- E. God meets us in sacrifice.
- F. God meets us in peace.
Key Quotes
“Every place is holy where a holy heart is found.” — Chuck Smith
“Meet God in tribulations.” — Chuck Smith
“Men do not cry, 'Lord save me' until forced to add 'or I perish'.” — Chuck Smith
Application Points
- We can meet God in any place with a holy heart.
- God meets us in our tribulations and uses them to bring us to Him.
- We must confess our sin in order to meet God and receive His sacrifice and acceptance.