How Can You Know If You’re Right? – Part 2
How Can You Know If You’re Right? – Part 2
The ordinances, service, and sanctuary described in the Old Testament Tabernacle all pointed to and found fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Our service to God as believers should be an act of worship, not something done begrudgingly or to showcase ourselves. We are to find joy in the areas God has called us to minister.
Man, we have a Bible study tonight that’s intense. I I think it’s intense.
It it’s it is in my head, anyway.
I just hope that, um, I can communicate this We’re really in a new chapter, but we’re still continuing the same thought because you guys all know, right, in the original Bible, there’s no chapter and verses.
It’s just the the writing of a book. It’s the book of Hebrews, and there’s no chapter 1.
Uh, that didn’t come into about the year 12, 10, 12, 15.
uh, when chapter number and chapter verse were assigned for us to navigate the Bible, which I’m really glad they did that.
but the chapter breaks are not inspired by god.
And so chapter 8 of Hebrews flows right into chapter 9, in fact, to be technical, chapter 7 of Hebrew started an argument that flows all the way through, uh, to chapter 10.
And it’s one vain of thinking. And it bottom line is this. Jesus is better than all.
That’s the that’s the way of thinking. Jesus is better than Moses, Jesus is better than the prophets.
Jesus is better than the angels. Jesus is better than all priests. He’s better than Aaron.
He’s better than the levites. He He’s better.
The only thing that we can come close, and we’ve already studied him, is that Jesus is in the order of of Melchizedek a priesthood that never has a beginning and never has an ending, uh, forever in that order.
So church last time when we were together, we started looking at this message, titled, how can you know if your rights?
And I know that sounds kind of arrogant, but it’s not.
God, listen, god intends for you, the believer, to know what it is that you believe.
Don’t satisfy yourself with like a pacifier, think about a baby.
A baby is calm with the pacifier, just with the motion and the movement, even though the baby is not getting any nourishment, right?
Uh, it’s it’s kind of like, uh, an an hors d’oeuvre. I mean, what does an hors d’oeuvre do?
But look but look nice on the plates. It does nothing when you eat it. What is this thing?
It’s like eating air. Well, when you’re when you’re on a, uh, what is it called?
The pacifier. We call it something different in our home. A pinky. So you did too. Okay.
You don’t get anything out of it.
Um, so the word of god, you are to get everything out of it.
It is to be your meat and potatoes. It’s to be your dessert.
and your salad’s it’s to be everything spiritually.
That’s why the books of the Bible are in a genre of thinking And that’s why you go to certain areas.
By the way, there’s certain doctrines of the Bible, and you’ll notice if you’re paying attention at times, where if we’re talking about the works of the flesh or about, um, uh, no one being justified uh, apart from faith in god, you’ll notice that we’ll quote a lot from Romans or a lot from Galatians.
But if we wanna talk about what we’re thinking or feeling.
Oh, we’ll quote heavily from the Psalms or from Proverbs. Do you see what I’m saying?
And if you wanna know what’s coming next, then you study the prophets or more specifically the book of Revelation, which what I’m going through right now in my early morning reading hours is the book of Revelation.
And I gotta tell you why this has just this is between us. Don’t tell anybody.
But I’m just sensing, lord, I need a blessing from you. I just want you to do something.
I need you to do something in my life. I wanna I want you to shake things up.
I want you to not me, uh, not me around, you know, give my attention.
And, uh, you say, Jack, are you sure you wanna ask that? Yeah. I do. I do.
He knows what I he knows what’s best. He knows.
Um, and so when when I asked that, so what did I do? I’m not stupid.
The book of Revelation is the only book in the Bible that says, if you read this book or if you hear it read to you, you’ll be blessed by god.
So I thought I’m gonna go there. Right? I’m gonna go there. Well, the book of Hebrews is awesome.
And when we talk about being right, we’re talking about being biblically right. Okay? Not arrogant, not carnal.
Not not a no at all.
But one that is right because we are biblically grounded.
And we saw in verses 7 through 12 last time of chapter uh, 8, it was this.
And, again, it flows everybody. How can you know if you’re right?
We saw this number 1, know how to ask the right question. That’s where you begin.
Know how to ask the right questions when you approach the word of god.
We learned in verse 9 know what answers are available to you. What is god saying? God speaks friends.
Listen up. God speaks to you from the Bible. makes it very clear from the word of god.
If you don’t know that’s true, you need to, uh, get alone.
You need to get alone with god in the in his word. and ask him to speak to you.
I would love for you. If I could put you in a headlock, I would do it, but it won’t work.
It doesn’t do it. but for you to determine, I am not gonna let god go until he blesses me.
Do the Jacob thing. Jacob said, I am gonna wrestle with you until the breaking of the day, and I am not gonna let you go until you bless me.
Listen, what I’m saying is this, know what god wants to say to you right now.
Every single one of us who are believers, god is wanting to speak to you about what’s next for your life.
Here’s what’s dangerous. Oh my goodness. This puts fear in my heart.
It’s for you and I to think right now. What do you mean? What’s next in my life?
I’m kinda busy right now, or I think there’s enough going on.
Oh my goodness. That scares me because, listen, god is always on the move.
So lord, what do you what do you wanna do next?
And then next, that’s what we must be thinking.
And we must be asking the question. Thirdly, we learned this, know that there is only one road.
And we talked about that in verse 10.
And then we ended last time together in verses 11 to 12 of chapter 8, and that is no, the god of answers.
the god of the Bible has all the answers to the issues of life.
So now church, listen, start taking notes for chapter 9 We’re not gonna read it just yet.
We will in a moment, but here’s the introduction, and here’s what we wanna know, uh, as we get into this chapter.
John chapter 20 verse 31. Jot that down if you would.
Introduction to Hebrews chapter 9 begins with John 20 verse 31.
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of god, and that believing you may have life in his name.
Does anything about that verse sound wishy washy or not clear? crystal clear. That’s right. Right? Yeah.
Next verse. 1st John 513. I love this one. So do you.
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the son of god, stop right there.
Don’t say anything but are you here tonight? Are you watching right now?
And could you agree that you believe in the name or the word name means the authority of the son of god.
If that’s you tonight, if you’re saying, I believe in the authority of the son of god, are you sure?
I want you to, but Are you sure?
Cause watch what happens, that you may know that you have eternal life. Man. Stuff at that comma right there.
that you may know that you have eternal life.
According to the Bible, if you can say right now that you believe in the authority of the son of god, The next step is you know that you have eternal life.
I’m I’m gonna pause for effect right now. You are to know this.
God wants you and his family to know right now that you have eternal life.
Far too many people have been manipulated by religion, to get you to think that your salvation is somehow fragile and frail.
And you know what? If you look a little bit this way or a little bit that way or if you if you, uh, whatever, you could lose it.
Listen, let me tell you something right now. If you if you can lose yourself okay.
If you have salvation, if you’re truly born again, truly redeemed by the blood of the lamb.
Okay? If you’re truly saved, you can’t lose it. Watch this.
Here’s what’s funny for those who think you can lose it. Oh, man. Uh, I think you can.
Dude, if you can lose it, you would have lost it by now.
If here’s the question. Listen, somebody’s gonna write me safe.
Well, do you believe in one saved always saved? I believe once born again, Always born again.
If you wanna if you wanna bicker about salvation and losing it, I’ll tell you this, nowhere in the Bible is someone who knows the authority of the son of god and has the assurance of their salvation, will they lose that?
because they were sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.
That’s part of the priestly work of Jesus that we’d learn about in the book of Hebrews.
he goes on and that you may continue to believe in the name of the son of god.
This is awesome. You know who he is.
You know that he’s saved you because you’ve got him in your heart. It’s not some fuzzy feeling.
It’s it’s It’s rubber to the road, uh, sometimes easy, sometimes tough, always dynamic the Christian life is a constant.
And all along the way, you know this. He’s gonna get me through to the end.
He’s gonna give me that’s that verse contains all of that right there. 1st John 5 3rd 13. Incredible. Incredible.
Awesome. the the tremendous power of god’s grace and mercy to pull off what he has purchased for us is thrilling.
And that’s why we should be telling people about the love of god and about salvation in Christ.
Romans 14 verse 4. You guys okay?
Romans 14 verse 4 says, for whatever things were written before, were written for our learning. That’s the old testament.
that we through the patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Pretty clear, pretty exciting.
Psalm 40 verse 7, speaking of the Messiah, then I said, behold I come in the scroll of the book, it is written of me.
Mark that down, by the way. Psalm 40 equates to Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews 10 verses 5 through 7.
therefore, when he came into the world, he said, sacrifice and offering you did not desire.
This is the Ministry of Messiah, Jesus.
Jesus is quoting the the writer of the book of Hebrews is quoting Jesus having quoted the Old Testament.
and I love that. Sacrifice an offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me.
This is Jesus speaking to the father. in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin, you had no pleasure.
Then I said, behold, I have come. In the volume of the book, it is written of me.
Sound familiar church, to do your will. Oh god.
That’s Psalm 40 verse 7, quoted in the book of Hebrews chapter 10. remarkable.
And Jesus reminded, by the way, Israel’s hollowed out, emptied out, priesthood in his day, in the 1st century.
Remember that Jesus was walking, galilee, walking the streets of Jerusalem, going to the temple mount, And all of the priesthood things were intact, but they were hollow.
They were they were dead. You gotta remember that? It it was all ritualistic. Friends, listen.
You can go a long way on religion.
And what they were doing, they took the word of god, and they replaced it with the traditions of men, the Bible says, that’s religion, and that’s fatal.
And, um, they were attacking him. You know, this all the time.
When you read the gospels, the professional religionists attacked Jesus all the time.
And in John chapter 5 verse 36, watch this.
When his authority was brought under attack Jesus’, but I have a greater witness than John’s.
That’s John De Bevaptist. For the works which the father has given me to finish, the very works that I do bear witness of me that the father has sent me.
That’s an amazing statement because verse 36 means this.
You guys who know your Bible, he’s talking to the scribes and fiercesties, why don’t you read it and then come and judge my life according to the Bible?
I mean, I’m making this next part up.
he could have said, why don’t you go home and read Isaiah 35?
And then come back and watch what I’m doing.
I’m opening the eyes of the blind, I’m healing those that are sick and cleansing those that have leprosy, and I’m raising the dead.
So come to your own conclusion. He challenges them. Verse 37 of John 5.
And the father himself, who sent me, has testified of me You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his form, but you do not have his word abiding in you because whom he sent him, you do not believe.
Verse 39, you search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life.
These are they which testify of me, but you are not willing to come to me that you may have life.
What a statement? What a truth?
You look at the old testament, but you don’t believe in what I’m doing right now by the fulfilling of it.
Jesus is saying. By the way, I want you I mentioned this a couple of sentences ago.
Think on this. Those who don’t want to consider Jesus as the Messiah but they would say that they believe in the Old Testament prophecies, then how in the world, if they don’t read the new testament, are they ever going to know that the old testament prophecies were ever fulfilled.
You’ve gotta answer those prophecies. Yeah.
They’re for real. And Jesus comes along and says, I’m the 1.
And yet people will not listen.
They will not look and yet they claim to believe in the Bible, but they don’t they don’t recognize Jesus.
And pray tell who has lined up to just 10% of those prophecies.
No one, but Jesus, all of them. remarkable.
So, church, let’s stand, and we’ll read our scriptures together tonight.
It’s a big chunk, but we won’t get far at all, which is nothing new to you.
He reached chapters 9 versus 1 through 10, and I’ll begin in verse 1.
If you’ll pick it up in verse 2, Then indeed, even the 1st covenant, that’s the old testament, had ordinances of divine service, and the earthly sanctuary.
And behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all.
and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat.
Of these things, we cannot speak in detail.
But into the second part, the high priest went only once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance.
Listen.
Listen. Listen. it was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who perform the service perfect or complete in regard to the conscience.
This is deep stuff.
father, give us understanding. We pray. We love you god. We love you. We can’t wait to see you.
We hope it’s tonight. by the way. In Jesus name and all god’s people said, hey, man.
He may be seated. He may be seated Hebrew chapter 9. We dive into this now. It’s actually number 5.
How can you know if you’re right?
Number 5 is this because a map was given to us to know the way.
That’s what we learned from verses 12. A map has been given to us. We’re not left alone.
We’ve got the word of god.
we, uh, we can open it up and we can map it out and we can can clue based upon what god has given us that we’re on the right path.
when it says in verse 1, then indeed, even the 1st covenant in your note taking right down the old testament, 1st covenant, first five books of the Bible, 10 commandments, all that god gave, the children of Israel, had ordinances of divine service.
All of these things that they did back then did not god church tell Moses to have the levites set apart and to go through all of these things with the animal sacrifices and the blood.
And you’ve read Leviticus. Isn’t it tough stuff? Laveedikus is like a tour through a butcher shop.
Spreen over here. Entrell’s there. take this part of the guts and put it there.
It’s like, come on. Are you kidding me?
Uh but yet everything about what all that means relates to Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us.
Leviticus is the work that he did.
If you went to an old test and book to say, what book describes the work that Jesus did.
It’s leviticus. He was sacrificed fully for our sins completely.
I know we don’t understand that because we’re mere mortals.
but the sacrifice of Christ on the cross is so great that it’s described in Leviticus in detail for us that just blows our minds.
We’d rather skip the book. But every bit of that, think about the priesthood and all of the details of all of that sacrificial work, all about blood and innocence being offered up because I was a jerk.
If I lived back then, if you and I lived back in and we had sinned, we’d have to go get a goat or sheep or an ox or a dove.
Aren’t you glad that you live right now? Yes. Yes.
It was a bloody work.
Dennis Prager said the priesthood back in those days was nothing he said it’s nothing but a bunch of glorified butchers.
And it’s true. You don’t think of it that way, do you? But it’s true.
So they did these divine service and the earthly sanctuary, And then just those front end of verse 2 for a Tabernacle was prepared.
So here we go. the 1st covenant and its ordinances.
Um, you’re gonna appreciate that you and I live in a new testament era.
But let’s not re let’s not forget that.
All of this means something profound to all of us if we would just let it be said to us.
So uh, number 1, we wanna look at the word when it says covenant, covenant, 1st covenant.
Look what the meaning of the protois is the root word that we get prototype.
Uh, you could even use the word or think of the word forerunner prototype someone that’s out ahead or that which is created first, but watch the awesome Greek and combined Hebrew meaning of this word covenant.
It means first agreement, notices everybody, first agreement.
Whenever you have listen, whenever you have the word first, in anything, then that means that there’s a second, third, or 4th, or if you have first mentioned then the next thing is the conclusion.
You have the first of it, and you have the last of it. It can only go two ways.
church, think about it. In logic and scripture, theology is the same way.
1st, second, third, one through 10, whatever it might be, or in the context of covenants, how many covenants from Genesis to Revelation has god promised to give?
2. There’s one that’s called the first, and there’s one that’s called the second, or we call 1 the old testament, and the second one is called, or the last one I should say is called the new testament.
This is very important. The word means first agreement in importance Example, this is where you start the first man or the first of its kind.
The one that leads or begins first before the others come. Very important. Notice this.
First in the sense that there is a last yet to come not a first as in many, but one that remains.
If this one is first, then there’s one that remains.
So the first and the last make up god’s revelation to man, the totality of the Bible.
That that one word flies in the face of ministries that say we don’t re we don’t study the old testament.
They’re violating the Bible. Right here.
They’ll certainly never study the book of Hebrews, which is in the new testament because if you study, you gotta go to the old testament, covenant.
By the way, listen, covenant. when a husband and a wife become husband and a wife, do they enter into a covenant, or do they enter into a contract?
Well, it you’re right.
It’s supposed to be a covenant because a covenant is far greater than a contract.
uh, a contract. All you need for a contract to be broken is a good good attorney.
But according to god, according to god, he doesn’t allow covenants to be broken.
Amen. See, what? I break them all the time. You think you are.
But in the end, god god honors covenants.
He listen, covenants are not to be broken. If you break 1, you got a tone with blood.
Covenants are designed to start at one place and to end.
In god’s case, he says, this is where we begin.
humans in their fallen state are very, very self centered, stubborn, arrogant, and blind to their own sins.
They’re they’re very aware of everybody else’s sins, but not their own. So what am I gonna do?
God says, I’m gonna post 10 commandments on stone.
And those 10 commitments point at us and convict each and every one of us. That’s what listen.
you guys, that’s why the secular world, they’re so cowered, they’re so tear they’re so wimpy.
They’re terrified of the 10 commandments Hey, let’s put them up in school. No. They’ll freak out.
They’ll have a heart attack. What are you afraid of? I don’t believe in God.
It’s been then why don’t you all shook up?
If you don’t believe in god, I have an idea.
If you don’t believe in god, let’s put him up.
because if it’s all a joke, then what do you care?
You can, in fact, let’s put them up and you can laugh at everybody who believes in them.
They won’t allow that. You wanna know why?
Because they know down deep inside there’s power in those 10 commandments because 10 Command and say, you are not supposed to sleep with your neighbor’s wife.
And they say, go, come on, man. Can’t have any fun?
You’re not supposed to murder people. But tell me, what’s wrong with that?
Well, you’re you’re quenching their expression.
You know, something dumb will be thought of, but a covenant can only be fulfilled.
And if it’s broken, The only way you can get restored is get blood.
The next word is ordinances.
Mark Vistow, A statement of acquittal or release from the condemnation that is that which was sentenced, an act of righteous and act of justification based on the offering of another.
There you go. A personal offering cannot be accepted. That is your personal offering.
You and I cannot make atonement by any ordinance as friends, listen.
I don’t mean to upset anybody. Please please listen. I know who you are tonight.
I know where you come from, and I’m glad that you’re here, and you are so welcome.
I hope you come back. Just know this.
No religious ordinance or dictate or requirement from an earthly priest can make you right before god.
And I don’t say that to hurt you. I say that to tell you the truth.
Only Jesus Christ and his blood as your sacrifice can help you.
The next word in this brief portion of scripture is the word service.
divine service. And that may it’s we’ll love it in a moment when we understand it more, but listen to the meaning of this.
This word service means worship. It’s worship that is directed at or upon god.orship is an act of service, and service is an act of worship based on a mutual relationship between god and man by inseparable terms.
And that is, uh, that covenant that god desires to have with you is not written in stone.
We are in a new testament era.
God wants you to know him in a covenant relationship that we could say in an understanding of marriage.
I find it awesome that the Bible equates us the church as being the bride of Christ.
And he’s coming to pick us up. That’s what the, uh, Galla Lee and Grooms did.
They came and picked up their brides after they built the home. that he was gonna move her into.
And I pray he comes tonight to show us the house that he’s been working on.
But, It’s all based on love, and it’s this mutual relationship that the Bible tells us, our service to god, you ever think about that?
our service to god is to be an act of worship.
You don’t pull up and PRAY for me, everybody.
I’m I’m going into Children’s Ministry now.
Listen.
If that’s you, god is calling you to some other ministry If you’re called to a ministry, which is your service, it will be an act of worship.
It’d be oh, right, man. I hope there’s a lot of diapers today. Right?
You love it? You’re like, if you’re involved in anything for Jesus and you’re like, I can’t stand doing this.
Get out of it. Yeah. You’re not supposed to be there. He’s not torturing you.
You may be torturing everybody around you, but he doesn’t torture.
When he calls you, you know, this is this is so true. Listen.
You might think, um, you might think, well, man, you know, I’ll I’ll start praying for god’s will to be done in my life, but, uh, I’m never I’m never going to, uh, Belize.
a Clive. Did you ever pray that? Did you ever pray?
Cause Clive is up front visiting here from Belize, missionary to Belize, I’m wondering. I’m curious.
Did he ever say, god, I’ll fool you anywhere except Belize.
Now look, if that was to ever happen to you, Either, a, you’ll never go to Belize because there’s god doesn’t want you to go there or guess what happens.
You you can’t stop thinking about Belize.
And you pull out your phone and you’re looking at the weather in Belize.
You’re looking for the news and beliefs and what? And then you start caring.
and then you bump into somebody. Where are you from, Belize? You’re from Belize? What’s what is happening?
God is changing your heart so that you can’t wait. to get to Belize. Are you hearing me?
It’s a joy. When god does something in your life, It’s him doing it that makes it so attractive that others want to do that.
Amen. You know, look, we’re not gonna make it far in this study.
I grew up spiritually at Carriage Apple Costa Mesa, and How is it?
Watch this. Go tonight. Go to YouTube and see if I’m telling you the truth.
Chuck Smith teaching the Bible chapter by chapter verse by verse.
Chuck Smith walks up to the pulpit, and he says, now let’s turn to the gospel of John.
In the beginning was the word, and the word was with god, and the word was god.
Now as you see, the Bible here says that in the beginning was the word, And the word was with god, and god was the word.
And — k. And you said, well, you just you just read that.
You read it, and then you said it.
How is it that what he said never left your memory, never left your mind.
It was anointedly embossed in your soul. How I listen.
The word of god’s gonna do what the word of god does, but the delivery, the package delivering or the the box that the goods come in when he how is it that when he smiled and taught you the Bible, you felt like you were somehow you had no doubt that we must be related somehow.
And how is it that he’s everybody’s dad or grandpa?
You came to that conclusion because you didn’t even you had never even met him, but you knew that he loved you.
Yeah. Exactly. Everybody called him papa check. You had to. It was like, of course.
What was going on?
god was using a man in his calling, and he was operating within his calling, And so the joy of the lord was his strength.
And because of that, his impact is still continuing around the world today.
when people are operating in an area that they want to operate in, but god’s not in it.
Listen, there is a trail, a wake behind them of destruction.
There’s broken lives, offended people, you see things crushed, broken, but just ruined.
But you know what? They’re fine.
because ministries for them to showcase their mouth or whatever they want. Are you hearing me?
God forbid if we have a worship ministry that a worship participant is thinking, Hey, this is a cool place for me to showcase my my skills.
Did you know that’s not worship? That’s pollution. It’s pretty scary.
I can’t tell you how often people come up and say, man, I love being in I love being around crowds.
I think god’s called me to be a pastor. I just love being in front of people.
And when I’m I’m not joking, and you should hear my response back. You wanna hear it?
I I tell them.
If that’s if that’s it, you should join the circus.
Listen, you think that sounds harsh?
Listen, Warren Wearsbee said it this way. He’s very way smarter than me. word, words, we said it this way.
The calling pursues the man. The man should never pursue the calling. Yeah. Isn’t that good?
So in ministry, and every single one of us who know the, uh, love and life of Jesus in us, we’re to be saying, lord, where do you want me in ministry?
Not not if where? And you’re gonna get excited about it, and then then you get terrified about it because if god does say, yeah, go down to Belize and work with Clive.
You’re you’re gonna like, I can’t do that. I want to, but I can’t.
And you you’re gonna get all what’s the word convoluted?
And you’re gonna have you’re gonna go through this incredible faith experience, and it’s beautiful.
It’s really beautiful. because you come as it were to the end of your rope.
And when you let go in the fog of the rope, you’ll find out that you’re only 2 inches off the ground.
And you’re right where god wanted you to be, and you’ll love it.
you’ll just absolutely love it. So our service is always to be an act of worship.
Romans chapter 12 verse 1, Romans 121, You knew I was going to go there.
Romans 1212 says, I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of god.
to present your bodies as living sacrifices. I really love that. Amen.
Nowhere does god say, I want you to kill yourself for me.
Be a be a a a Kamakazi Christian. No.
Go out there and be a jotist. Blow yourself up for god. No.
The god of the Bible says live for me. Isn’t that great? What a difference?
I want living sacrifices. I said, well, aren’t all sacrifices living? Yeah.
But, listen, god’s living sacrifices are living when they show up, and they live bigger when they leave.
They’re still alive. Why? Cause he wants to do something. Watch this. Holy.
That means set apart from this world. Acceptable to god means you’re useful.
God make me useful, which is your spiritual worship. Some of your Bible say reasonable service.
But in the ESV, which I’m reading out of for this verse, it says the words spiritual worship.
I love that. verse twosys do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you, by testing may discern what is the will of god, what is good, and acceptable, and perfect.
How does that happen? worshiping god. Our service is a worship to god.
Believe it or not, for what god’s called me to do right now in teaching the Bible, I am worshiping god.
me right now. You say, well, good for you. You’re worshiping god by studying the Bible right now.
We’re all in an act of worship. We worship in giving. We worship in song. We worship in study.
We worship in proclaiming. Guess what? We worship by being alive. Yeah.
The believer is a walking, living, breathing, moving worship machine.
You ever seen those there’s that one pixar thing where that one guy’s got a flute and a drum and a cymbals, and he’s got a Oh, he’s just he he walks and he just all these musics coming out of one guy.
That’s us and the spirit. It’s amazing.
And then the word sanctuary, I’m gonna go fast with the time we have. See the word sanctuary?
All of this is from one and a half verses here.
The word sanctuary, Hageon and the Greek, the root word Hageos meaning a place or position.
could be worldview. Everybody has a worldview of being sanctified or in a religion or in religious awe that which is sacred, holy, dedicated, or saintly.
By the way, that that word, this is Hegion, Hegios, is an amazing word because when you be you put you’re a you’re a hegio as an unbeliever and when you become a believer, it’s Hagios, which is amazing.
And the only difference is, even though it sounds different, the only difference is to go from being condemned to being called the saint is that there’s an I, the letter I is dropped right in the middle of the word.
And I remember years ago, somebody pointing out that that eye could be interpreted as Jesus gets right in the middle of your life, the great I am.
steps in. He takes that which is condemned, drops an I like the I am in the middle and makes it saintly.
Isn’t that amazing? Absolutely amazing.
But the sanctuary so speaking about here, an earthly sanctuary, It says that the earthly sanctuary was dedicated.
It’s a place of awe and reverence. It’s a meaningful sacred spot. We get that. We understand that.
Just right down the street from here in the freeway is that, Whatever it is.
It looks like a sand castle.
It’s but, you know, I’ve not been, but I I wanna go see it.
I I I heard the inside uh, is in is, like, is a super wonder.
It’s all hand done, and it’s, But, you know, look, I sand castle on the outside.
But on the inside, there’s pictures of it on the internet, and it’s just people coming from all over the world, Is it a Hindu?
Yes. Uh, temple or whatever it is? Um, that place, listen, To them, that place is sanctified.
Well, this is a tilt up concrete building. open ceiling.
Uh, that’s why it’s painted black.
If you if that ceiling above your head was not painted black, you’d be looking up there saying, what an ugly mess.
Well, everything up there is there’s stuff up there orange and blue and white and Wires you say, I can’t see it.
That’s why it’s black. All these imperfections up there The place down the street is a piece of artwork.
This place is practical. equally sanctified, but I’m rooting for the home team here.
our god is alive and resurrected from the dead.
Our god died in the cross for your sins and their sins.
And so he’s so much better. And then there’s the word Tabernetco.
We’re actually gonna pull this off. So guys, get ready. Tabernacle. Tabernacle.
The word means, and this is fun. Tabernacle. A humble dwelling or a tent.
irrespective of grander or how ornate something may be here on earth.
At its best, it is limited due to its humiliation. It’s humiliation. Watch up.
You say, how can how can it be How could the how could how could the Vatican be humiliation?
Oh, it’s simple. It’s made out of stuff of this world. Are you hearing me?
Yeah. I am. I don’t care how beautiful it is.
Or even better, it’s humble state of origins.
Whatever we can build for god here on earth with earthly efforts, earthly tools, and earthly resources, can only at best be dedicated to god because it is limited by its humble nature.
Oh, look at the cathedral we built. It’s awesome. Yes. Fantastic.
But it’s made of things of this earth. Right?
God began to engrain that in the minds of Israel in the wilderness coming out of Egypt, coming out of the world, so to speak, to show them on a journey that he was gonna reveal himself to them and that he would walk them through their genologies to bring them and all who would believe in the lord Jesus Christ to heaven.
That’s why in the tabernacle of the wilderness, nothing could satisfy both god and man completely.
Then the temple was built in Jerusalem, but yet still god nor ma’am was satisfied completely.
There’s going to be a day friend that you and I are gonna enter into the tabernacle, which is in heaven forever, But in the meantime, for the believer, we’ll get on this next week, is that god has left the building.
Where did he go? In us. In you. Yeah. And in you. Yeah.
And in you. So, guys, let’s dim the lights a little bit. We’ll end with this.
This is pretty cool. Let’s watch this video.
The Tabernacle, Hamish Khan.
The Hebrew word means dwelling place.
It was where god dwelled with his people, and its elements show us how to relate with god.
After delivering Israelites from slavery in Egypt. God gave them detailed instructions on how to build this dwelling.
once constructed, the lord descended on the Tabernacle in a pillar of cloud.
Curtans separated the whole Tabernacle from the rest of the Israeliting Hammond.
In this courtyard was the Tabernacle’s largest piece of furniture, the altar.
a wooden box covered with bronze.
The altar was shaped as a square, measuring approximately 7 a half feet long and 7 a half feet wide.
From top to bottom, it stood about four and a half feet.
Hollow space inside the box allowed priests to insert coals.
Above was
a bronze grating where priests would lay animals for sacrifice.
A horn of one piece with the altar stood at each corner.
4 bronze rings under the ledge allowed one to insert carrying poles so the Israelites could the altar.
Between the altar and the tentative meeting was a bronze labor.
priests had to cleanse their hands and feet here before offering sacrifices or entering the tent.
Within the inner tent, stood one of the most recognized elements of the whole tabernacle, the Menora.
A lamp stand with 3 branches that rose on side to create a total of 7 lamps.
This solid gold lamp stand weighed about
£75.
each lamp was a small cup that the priest would fill with oil to fuel the light.
Each branch in the middle of the shaft had Almond blossoms. The menorah served a most practical purpose.
It was the only source of light in the tent. an eternal light that was never to go out.
Also in the tent, stood a wooden table covered with gold.
on it was to always remain the bread of the presence.
The bread of the presence symbolizes god’s desire to be with his people.
incense was to burn continuously on the altar.
God instructed the priest to replenish the incense every evening and morning.
A curtain separated the holy place from the holy of holy The menorah, the altar of incense, and the bread of the presence were all in the holy place, but outside this veil.
Like the curtains covering the tentative meeting, this veil was blue, purple, and scarlet, with cherubim, a kind of angel.
beyond the veil at the far end of the Tabernacle was the ark.
The ark was a wooden box covered with gold. It was nearly 4 feet long.
Its width and height were about 2 feet, 3 inches.
Like the altar, the arch head rings and pulls so the Israel could carry it as they traveled.
Within the arc were the 2 stone tablets on which god had written the 10 commandments.
Later, it contained a sample of Mana, and the rod that bloomed to reinforce Aaron’s leadership.
The mercy seat was the arc to lead
and features prominently on Yomaki Poor or
the day of atonement. At each end, stood a chair of facing the other with its wings outspread.
This cover was made of solid gold.
The priest was spring the blood of the sacrifice on this mercy seat, symbolizing that the nation’s sins were covered for another year.
While only the high priest would see it, the mercy suit was the key symbol of atonement that god would forgive his people.
though daily sacrifices on the altar were necessary for payment of sin, it was only through the mercy scene on the day of atonement that the stain of sin was washed away.
All of that.
While priests had to make repeated sacrifices, One man offered a sacrifice to atone for sin once and for
all. Amen.
When Jesus, the Messiah died, He sprinkled his own blood before god, securing atonement forever, for all who would trust in him.
Jesus cleanses us, makes us pure, and enables us to rightly approach the lord.
He tore the veil but kept distance between Israel and the Lord.
God dwelled among the Israelites through a tent Now he dwells within his people through the spirit.
Amen.
If if I would in that beautiful, the Bible tells us that all of that was symbolic to represent Christ.
That’s a tough thing for someone who’s bound up in the traditions of men.
That’s a tough thing for someone who’s practicing Judaism because they’re stuck right there.
They’ve gone to a point, and then there’s no going beyond There’s silence again because they’re not willing to hear.
Maybe you’re not willing to hear that all of that was written in the Bible and it says in the Bible that it spoke of Christ.
Every bit of those things and we’ll see it next week together.
Everything spoke about Christ. I’ll give you a clue right now, especially if you leave out through the center, and you’ll see the menorah There’s the Hanukkah lot you’d lamp.
You can’t call it a Menora. You it it’s a Hanukkah. It’s a what is it? 9 wrenches?
That’s for something else. It’s not in the Bible.
There’s only a manure in the Bible. Listen.
It appears in the old testament, in the working of the priesthood, in the wilderness, 7 lamp stands or 7 branches, and then it doesn’t appear again until the book of Revelation.
And we’ll get into it next week.
The 7 lampstand in the old testament, the high priest would walk with blood by the lampstand of 7.
Book of Revelation tells us that Jesus walks through the midst of the 7 lampstands that are burning.
That’s the church in totality, but in you personally.
According to the scripture, Christ is walking with you in you who believe.
And so That’s what I would have said if we would have had more time.
Father, tonight, we We see that CGI presentation of how it might have been, And it helps because we see the arc of the covenant.
We see the angels in reverence looking down at what would be the remarkable view of pure gold but then blood poured on top of that gold, the brilliant of brilliance of red and gold, The purity of god represented in the gold.
and the blood speaking of the atonement of something so fallen, so broken, so hurt and so much in disarray.
that it would take the blood of almighty god, Jesus Christ, the righteous, to heal our lives.
Father tonight, I pray that you had script from us, all visage of religiosity.
God cleans us, we invite you, church stand together.
As I pray, lord, we we ask you to cleanse us and to strip us, lord, of the things of this world that are hindering us from dry close.
Lord, tonight, we offer to you ourselves as living sacrifices, which is Lord, our reasonable worship to you tonight.
We invite you to do what you want with us.
Church, Christian family, listen, right now, wherever you’re at, believer, in your own words, in your own head, can you just say to him, however you’d like to say it to him, that I invite you into my life lord to do what’s next?
What what do you want next, lord? Show me. I lay it on the line with you.
I lay it out before you. I give it all to you.
And so, lord, that is our prayer tonight.
And I pray this evening, too, that for the man or woman, boy or girl, who doesn’t know you, that they would get jealous in a sanctified way because God, you’re so good, and you’re so precious to say such things to us as you have in your holy that it so affect our life that people would say, can I know the one you know?
Can I be with the one that you’re with? Who is your god?
Lord, while time remains may we be faithful?
Glory be to the lord Jesus Christ, who has given us eternal life, this we know, And we rejoice in that fact in Jesus name.
Church, let’s worship him now as we end in God bless you. Amen.
It it’s it is in my head, anyway.
I just hope that, um, I can communicate this We’re really in a new chapter, but we’re still continuing the same thought because you guys all know, right, in the original Bible, there’s no chapter and verses.
It’s just the the writing of a book. It’s the book of Hebrews, and there’s no chapter 1.
Uh, that didn’t come into about the year 12, 10, 12, 15.
uh, when chapter number and chapter verse were assigned for us to navigate the Bible, which I’m really glad they did that.
but the chapter breaks are not inspired by god.
And so chapter 8 of Hebrews flows right into chapter 9, in fact, to be technical, chapter 7 of Hebrew started an argument that flows all the way through, uh, to chapter 10.
And it’s one vain of thinking. And it bottom line is this. Jesus is better than all.
That’s the that’s the way of thinking. Jesus is better than Moses, Jesus is better than the prophets.
Jesus is better than the angels. Jesus is better than all priests. He’s better than Aaron.
He’s better than the levites. He He’s better.
The only thing that we can come close, and we’ve already studied him, is that Jesus is in the order of of Melchizedek a priesthood that never has a beginning and never has an ending, uh, forever in that order.
So church last time when we were together, we started looking at this message, titled, how can you know if your rights?
And I know that sounds kind of arrogant, but it’s not.
God, listen, god intends for you, the believer, to know what it is that you believe.
Don’t satisfy yourself with like a pacifier, think about a baby.
A baby is calm with the pacifier, just with the motion and the movement, even though the baby is not getting any nourishment, right?
Uh, it’s it’s kind of like, uh, an an hors d’oeuvre. I mean, what does an hors d’oeuvre do?
But look but look nice on the plates. It does nothing when you eat it. What is this thing?
It’s like eating air. Well, when you’re when you’re on a, uh, what is it called?
The pacifier. We call it something different in our home. A pinky. So you did too. Okay.
You don’t get anything out of it.
Um, so the word of god, you are to get everything out of it.
It is to be your meat and potatoes. It’s to be your dessert.
and your salad’s it’s to be everything spiritually.
That’s why the books of the Bible are in a genre of thinking And that’s why you go to certain areas.
By the way, there’s certain doctrines of the Bible, and you’ll notice if you’re paying attention at times, where if we’re talking about the works of the flesh or about, um, uh, no one being justified uh, apart from faith in god, you’ll notice that we’ll quote a lot from Romans or a lot from Galatians.
But if we wanna talk about what we’re thinking or feeling.
Oh, we’ll quote heavily from the Psalms or from Proverbs. Do you see what I’m saying?
And if you wanna know what’s coming next, then you study the prophets or more specifically the book of Revelation, which what I’m going through right now in my early morning reading hours is the book of Revelation.
And I gotta tell you why this has just this is between us. Don’t tell anybody.
But I’m just sensing, lord, I need a blessing from you. I just want you to do something.
I need you to do something in my life. I wanna I want you to shake things up.
I want you to not me, uh, not me around, you know, give my attention.
And, uh, you say, Jack, are you sure you wanna ask that? Yeah. I do. I do.
He knows what I he knows what’s best. He knows.
Um, and so when when I asked that, so what did I do? I’m not stupid.
The book of Revelation is the only book in the Bible that says, if you read this book or if you hear it read to you, you’ll be blessed by god.
So I thought I’m gonna go there. Right? I’m gonna go there. Well, the book of Hebrews is awesome.
And when we talk about being right, we’re talking about being biblically right. Okay? Not arrogant, not carnal.
Not not a no at all.
But one that is right because we are biblically grounded.
And we saw in verses 7 through 12 last time of chapter uh, 8, it was this.
And, again, it flows everybody. How can you know if you’re right?
We saw this number 1, know how to ask the right question. That’s where you begin.
Know how to ask the right questions when you approach the word of god.
We learned in verse 9 know what answers are available to you. What is god saying? God speaks friends.
Listen up. God speaks to you from the Bible. makes it very clear from the word of god.
If you don’t know that’s true, you need to, uh, get alone.
You need to get alone with god in the in his word. and ask him to speak to you.
I would love for you. If I could put you in a headlock, I would do it, but it won’t work.
It doesn’t do it. but for you to determine, I am not gonna let god go until he blesses me.
Do the Jacob thing. Jacob said, I am gonna wrestle with you until the breaking of the day, and I am not gonna let you go until you bless me.
Listen, what I’m saying is this, know what god wants to say to you right now.
Every single one of us who are believers, god is wanting to speak to you about what’s next for your life.
Here’s what’s dangerous. Oh my goodness. This puts fear in my heart.
It’s for you and I to think right now. What do you mean? What’s next in my life?
I’m kinda busy right now, or I think there’s enough going on.
Oh my goodness. That scares me because, listen, god is always on the move.
So lord, what do you what do you wanna do next?
And then next, that’s what we must be thinking.
And we must be asking the question. Thirdly, we learned this, know that there is only one road.
And we talked about that in verse 10.
And then we ended last time together in verses 11 to 12 of chapter 8, and that is no, the god of answers.
the god of the Bible has all the answers to the issues of life.
So now church, listen, start taking notes for chapter 9 We’re not gonna read it just yet.
We will in a moment, but here’s the introduction, and here’s what we wanna know, uh, as we get into this chapter.
John chapter 20 verse 31. Jot that down if you would.
Introduction to Hebrews chapter 9 begins with John 20 verse 31.
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of god, and that believing you may have life in his name.
Does anything about that verse sound wishy washy or not clear? crystal clear. That’s right. Right? Yeah.
Next verse. 1st John 513. I love this one. So do you.
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the son of god, stop right there.
Don’t say anything but are you here tonight? Are you watching right now?
And could you agree that you believe in the name or the word name means the authority of the son of god.
If that’s you tonight, if you’re saying, I believe in the authority of the son of god, are you sure?
I want you to, but Are you sure?
Cause watch what happens, that you may know that you have eternal life. Man. Stuff at that comma right there.
that you may know that you have eternal life.
According to the Bible, if you can say right now that you believe in the authority of the son of god, The next step is you know that you have eternal life.
I’m I’m gonna pause for effect right now. You are to know this.
God wants you and his family to know right now that you have eternal life.
Far too many people have been manipulated by religion, to get you to think that your salvation is somehow fragile and frail.
And you know what? If you look a little bit this way or a little bit that way or if you if you, uh, whatever, you could lose it.
Listen, let me tell you something right now. If you if you can lose yourself okay.
If you have salvation, if you’re truly born again, truly redeemed by the blood of the lamb.
Okay? If you’re truly saved, you can’t lose it. Watch this.
Here’s what’s funny for those who think you can lose it. Oh, man. Uh, I think you can.
Dude, if you can lose it, you would have lost it by now.
If here’s the question. Listen, somebody’s gonna write me safe.
Well, do you believe in one saved always saved? I believe once born again, Always born again.
If you wanna if you wanna bicker about salvation and losing it, I’ll tell you this, nowhere in the Bible is someone who knows the authority of the son of god and has the assurance of their salvation, will they lose that?
because they were sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.
That’s part of the priestly work of Jesus that we’d learn about in the book of Hebrews.
he goes on and that you may continue to believe in the name of the son of god.
This is awesome. You know who he is.
You know that he’s saved you because you’ve got him in your heart. It’s not some fuzzy feeling.
It’s it’s It’s rubber to the road, uh, sometimes easy, sometimes tough, always dynamic the Christian life is a constant.
And all along the way, you know this. He’s gonna get me through to the end.
He’s gonna give me that’s that verse contains all of that right there. 1st John 5 3rd 13. Incredible. Incredible.
Awesome. the the tremendous power of god’s grace and mercy to pull off what he has purchased for us is thrilling.
And that’s why we should be telling people about the love of god and about salvation in Christ.
Romans 14 verse 4. You guys okay?
Romans 14 verse 4 says, for whatever things were written before, were written for our learning. That’s the old testament.
that we through the patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Pretty clear, pretty exciting.
Psalm 40 verse 7, speaking of the Messiah, then I said, behold I come in the scroll of the book, it is written of me.
Mark that down, by the way. Psalm 40 equates to Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews 10 verses 5 through 7.
therefore, when he came into the world, he said, sacrifice and offering you did not desire.
This is the Ministry of Messiah, Jesus.
Jesus is quoting the the writer of the book of Hebrews is quoting Jesus having quoted the Old Testament.
and I love that. Sacrifice an offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me.
This is Jesus speaking to the father. in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin, you had no pleasure.
Then I said, behold, I have come. In the volume of the book, it is written of me.
Sound familiar church, to do your will. Oh god.
That’s Psalm 40 verse 7, quoted in the book of Hebrews chapter 10. remarkable.
And Jesus reminded, by the way, Israel’s hollowed out, emptied out, priesthood in his day, in the 1st century.
Remember that Jesus was walking, galilee, walking the streets of Jerusalem, going to the temple mount, And all of the priesthood things were intact, but they were hollow.
They were they were dead. You gotta remember that? It it was all ritualistic. Friends, listen.
You can go a long way on religion.
And what they were doing, they took the word of god, and they replaced it with the traditions of men, the Bible says, that’s religion, and that’s fatal.
And, um, they were attacking him. You know, this all the time.
When you read the gospels, the professional religionists attacked Jesus all the time.
And in John chapter 5 verse 36, watch this.
When his authority was brought under attack Jesus’, but I have a greater witness than John’s.
That’s John De Bevaptist. For the works which the father has given me to finish, the very works that I do bear witness of me that the father has sent me.
That’s an amazing statement because verse 36 means this.
You guys who know your Bible, he’s talking to the scribes and fiercesties, why don’t you read it and then come and judge my life according to the Bible?
I mean, I’m making this next part up.
he could have said, why don’t you go home and read Isaiah 35?
And then come back and watch what I’m doing.
I’m opening the eyes of the blind, I’m healing those that are sick and cleansing those that have leprosy, and I’m raising the dead.
So come to your own conclusion. He challenges them. Verse 37 of John 5.
And the father himself, who sent me, has testified of me You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his form, but you do not have his word abiding in you because whom he sent him, you do not believe.
Verse 39, you search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life.
These are they which testify of me, but you are not willing to come to me that you may have life.
What a statement? What a truth?
You look at the old testament, but you don’t believe in what I’m doing right now by the fulfilling of it.
Jesus is saying. By the way, I want you I mentioned this a couple of sentences ago.
Think on this. Those who don’t want to consider Jesus as the Messiah but they would say that they believe in the Old Testament prophecies, then how in the world, if they don’t read the new testament, are they ever going to know that the old testament prophecies were ever fulfilled.
You’ve gotta answer those prophecies. Yeah.
They’re for real. And Jesus comes along and says, I’m the 1.
And yet people will not listen.
They will not look and yet they claim to believe in the Bible, but they don’t they don’t recognize Jesus.
And pray tell who has lined up to just 10% of those prophecies.
No one, but Jesus, all of them. remarkable.
So, church, let’s stand, and we’ll read our scriptures together tonight.
It’s a big chunk, but we won’t get far at all, which is nothing new to you.
He reached chapters 9 versus 1 through 10, and I’ll begin in verse 1.
If you’ll pick it up in verse 2, Then indeed, even the 1st covenant, that’s the old testament, had ordinances of divine service, and the earthly sanctuary.
And behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all.
and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat.
Of these things, we cannot speak in detail.
But into the second part, the high priest went only once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance.
Listen.
Listen. Listen. it was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who perform the service perfect or complete in regard to the conscience.
This is deep stuff.
father, give us understanding. We pray. We love you god. We love you. We can’t wait to see you.
We hope it’s tonight. by the way. In Jesus name and all god’s people said, hey, man.
He may be seated. He may be seated Hebrew chapter 9. We dive into this now. It’s actually number 5.
How can you know if you’re right?
Number 5 is this because a map was given to us to know the way.
That’s what we learned from verses 12. A map has been given to us. We’re not left alone.
We’ve got the word of god.
we, uh, we can open it up and we can map it out and we can can clue based upon what god has given us that we’re on the right path.
when it says in verse 1, then indeed, even the 1st covenant in your note taking right down the old testament, 1st covenant, first five books of the Bible, 10 commandments, all that god gave, the children of Israel, had ordinances of divine service.
All of these things that they did back then did not god church tell Moses to have the levites set apart and to go through all of these things with the animal sacrifices and the blood.
And you’ve read Leviticus. Isn’t it tough stuff? Laveedikus is like a tour through a butcher shop.
Spreen over here. Entrell’s there. take this part of the guts and put it there.
It’s like, come on. Are you kidding me?
Uh but yet everything about what all that means relates to Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us.
Leviticus is the work that he did.
If you went to an old test and book to say, what book describes the work that Jesus did.
It’s leviticus. He was sacrificed fully for our sins completely.
I know we don’t understand that because we’re mere mortals.
but the sacrifice of Christ on the cross is so great that it’s described in Leviticus in detail for us that just blows our minds.
We’d rather skip the book. But every bit of that, think about the priesthood and all of the details of all of that sacrificial work, all about blood and innocence being offered up because I was a jerk.
If I lived back then, if you and I lived back in and we had sinned, we’d have to go get a goat or sheep or an ox or a dove.
Aren’t you glad that you live right now? Yes. Yes.
It was a bloody work.
Dennis Prager said the priesthood back in those days was nothing he said it’s nothing but a bunch of glorified butchers.
And it’s true. You don’t think of it that way, do you? But it’s true.
So they did these divine service and the earthly sanctuary, And then just those front end of verse 2 for a Tabernacle was prepared.
So here we go. the 1st covenant and its ordinances.
Um, you’re gonna appreciate that you and I live in a new testament era.
But let’s not re let’s not forget that.
All of this means something profound to all of us if we would just let it be said to us.
So uh, number 1, we wanna look at the word when it says covenant, covenant, 1st covenant.
Look what the meaning of the protois is the root word that we get prototype.
Uh, you could even use the word or think of the word forerunner prototype someone that’s out ahead or that which is created first, but watch the awesome Greek and combined Hebrew meaning of this word covenant.
It means first agreement, notices everybody, first agreement.
Whenever you have listen, whenever you have the word first, in anything, then that means that there’s a second, third, or 4th, or if you have first mentioned then the next thing is the conclusion.
You have the first of it, and you have the last of it. It can only go two ways.
church, think about it. In logic and scripture, theology is the same way.
1st, second, third, one through 10, whatever it might be, or in the context of covenants, how many covenants from Genesis to Revelation has god promised to give?
2. There’s one that’s called the first, and there’s one that’s called the second, or we call 1 the old testament, and the second one is called, or the last one I should say is called the new testament.
This is very important. The word means first agreement in importance Example, this is where you start the first man or the first of its kind.
The one that leads or begins first before the others come. Very important. Notice this.
First in the sense that there is a last yet to come not a first as in many, but one that remains.
If this one is first, then there’s one that remains.
So the first and the last make up god’s revelation to man, the totality of the Bible.
That that one word flies in the face of ministries that say we don’t re we don’t study the old testament.
They’re violating the Bible. Right here.
They’ll certainly never study the book of Hebrews, which is in the new testament because if you study, you gotta go to the old testament, covenant.
By the way, listen, covenant. when a husband and a wife become husband and a wife, do they enter into a covenant, or do they enter into a contract?
Well, it you’re right.
It’s supposed to be a covenant because a covenant is far greater than a contract.
uh, a contract. All you need for a contract to be broken is a good good attorney.
But according to god, according to god, he doesn’t allow covenants to be broken.
Amen. See, what? I break them all the time. You think you are.
But in the end, god god honors covenants.
He listen, covenants are not to be broken. If you break 1, you got a tone with blood.
Covenants are designed to start at one place and to end.
In god’s case, he says, this is where we begin.
humans in their fallen state are very, very self centered, stubborn, arrogant, and blind to their own sins.
They’re they’re very aware of everybody else’s sins, but not their own. So what am I gonna do?
God says, I’m gonna post 10 commandments on stone.
And those 10 commitments point at us and convict each and every one of us. That’s what listen.
you guys, that’s why the secular world, they’re so cowered, they’re so tear they’re so wimpy.
They’re terrified of the 10 commandments Hey, let’s put them up in school. No. They’ll freak out.
They’ll have a heart attack. What are you afraid of? I don’t believe in God.
It’s been then why don’t you all shook up?
If you don’t believe in god, I have an idea.
If you don’t believe in god, let’s put him up.
because if it’s all a joke, then what do you care?
You can, in fact, let’s put them up and you can laugh at everybody who believes in them.
They won’t allow that. You wanna know why?
Because they know down deep inside there’s power in those 10 commandments because 10 Command and say, you are not supposed to sleep with your neighbor’s wife.
And they say, go, come on, man. Can’t have any fun?
You’re not supposed to murder people. But tell me, what’s wrong with that?
Well, you’re you’re quenching their expression.
You know, something dumb will be thought of, but a covenant can only be fulfilled.
And if it’s broken, The only way you can get restored is get blood.
The next word is ordinances.
Mark Vistow, A statement of acquittal or release from the condemnation that is that which was sentenced, an act of righteous and act of justification based on the offering of another.
There you go. A personal offering cannot be accepted. That is your personal offering.
You and I cannot make atonement by any ordinance as friends, listen.
I don’t mean to upset anybody. Please please listen. I know who you are tonight.
I know where you come from, and I’m glad that you’re here, and you are so welcome.
I hope you come back. Just know this.
No religious ordinance or dictate or requirement from an earthly priest can make you right before god.
And I don’t say that to hurt you. I say that to tell you the truth.
Only Jesus Christ and his blood as your sacrifice can help you.
The next word in this brief portion of scripture is the word service.
divine service. And that may it’s we’ll love it in a moment when we understand it more, but listen to the meaning of this.
This word service means worship. It’s worship that is directed at or upon god.orship is an act of service, and service is an act of worship based on a mutual relationship between god and man by inseparable terms.
And that is, uh, that covenant that god desires to have with you is not written in stone.
We are in a new testament era.
God wants you to know him in a covenant relationship that we could say in an understanding of marriage.
I find it awesome that the Bible equates us the church as being the bride of Christ.
And he’s coming to pick us up. That’s what the, uh, Galla Lee and Grooms did.
They came and picked up their brides after they built the home. that he was gonna move her into.
And I pray he comes tonight to show us the house that he’s been working on.
But, It’s all based on love, and it’s this mutual relationship that the Bible tells us, our service to god, you ever think about that?
our service to god is to be an act of worship.
You don’t pull up and PRAY for me, everybody.
I’m I’m going into Children’s Ministry now.
Listen.
If that’s you, god is calling you to some other ministry If you’re called to a ministry, which is your service, it will be an act of worship.
It’d be oh, right, man. I hope there’s a lot of diapers today. Right?
You love it? You’re like, if you’re involved in anything for Jesus and you’re like, I can’t stand doing this.
Get out of it. Yeah. You’re not supposed to be there. He’s not torturing you.
You may be torturing everybody around you, but he doesn’t torture.
When he calls you, you know, this is this is so true. Listen.
You might think, um, you might think, well, man, you know, I’ll I’ll start praying for god’s will to be done in my life, but, uh, I’m never I’m never going to, uh, Belize.
a Clive. Did you ever pray that? Did you ever pray?
Cause Clive is up front visiting here from Belize, missionary to Belize, I’m wondering. I’m curious.
Did he ever say, god, I’ll fool you anywhere except Belize.
Now look, if that was to ever happen to you, Either, a, you’ll never go to Belize because there’s god doesn’t want you to go there or guess what happens.
You you can’t stop thinking about Belize.
And you pull out your phone and you’re looking at the weather in Belize.
You’re looking for the news and beliefs and what? And then you start caring.
and then you bump into somebody. Where are you from, Belize? You’re from Belize? What’s what is happening?
God is changing your heart so that you can’t wait. to get to Belize. Are you hearing me?
It’s a joy. When god does something in your life, It’s him doing it that makes it so attractive that others want to do that.
Amen. You know, look, we’re not gonna make it far in this study.
I grew up spiritually at Carriage Apple Costa Mesa, and How is it?
Watch this. Go tonight. Go to YouTube and see if I’m telling you the truth.
Chuck Smith teaching the Bible chapter by chapter verse by verse.
Chuck Smith walks up to the pulpit, and he says, now let’s turn to the gospel of John.
In the beginning was the word, and the word was with god, and the word was god.
Now as you see, the Bible here says that in the beginning was the word, And the word was with god, and god was the word.
And — k. And you said, well, you just you just read that.
You read it, and then you said it.
How is it that what he said never left your memory, never left your mind.
It was anointedly embossed in your soul. How I listen.
The word of god’s gonna do what the word of god does, but the delivery, the package delivering or the the box that the goods come in when he how is it that when he smiled and taught you the Bible, you felt like you were somehow you had no doubt that we must be related somehow.
And how is it that he’s everybody’s dad or grandpa?
You came to that conclusion because you didn’t even you had never even met him, but you knew that he loved you.
Yeah. Exactly. Everybody called him papa check. You had to. It was like, of course.
What was going on?
god was using a man in his calling, and he was operating within his calling, And so the joy of the lord was his strength.
And because of that, his impact is still continuing around the world today.
when people are operating in an area that they want to operate in, but god’s not in it.
Listen, there is a trail, a wake behind them of destruction.
There’s broken lives, offended people, you see things crushed, broken, but just ruined.
But you know what? They’re fine.
because ministries for them to showcase their mouth or whatever they want. Are you hearing me?
God forbid if we have a worship ministry that a worship participant is thinking, Hey, this is a cool place for me to showcase my my skills.
Did you know that’s not worship? That’s pollution. It’s pretty scary.
I can’t tell you how often people come up and say, man, I love being in I love being around crowds.
I think god’s called me to be a pastor. I just love being in front of people.
And when I’m I’m not joking, and you should hear my response back. You wanna hear it?
I I tell them.
If that’s if that’s it, you should join the circus.
Listen, you think that sounds harsh?
Listen, Warren Wearsbee said it this way. He’s very way smarter than me. word, words, we said it this way.
The calling pursues the man. The man should never pursue the calling. Yeah. Isn’t that good?
So in ministry, and every single one of us who know the, uh, love and life of Jesus in us, we’re to be saying, lord, where do you want me in ministry?
Not not if where? And you’re gonna get excited about it, and then then you get terrified about it because if god does say, yeah, go down to Belize and work with Clive.
You’re you’re gonna like, I can’t do that. I want to, but I can’t.
And you you’re gonna get all what’s the word convoluted?
And you’re gonna have you’re gonna go through this incredible faith experience, and it’s beautiful.
It’s really beautiful. because you come as it were to the end of your rope.
And when you let go in the fog of the rope, you’ll find out that you’re only 2 inches off the ground.
And you’re right where god wanted you to be, and you’ll love it.
you’ll just absolutely love it. So our service is always to be an act of worship.
Romans chapter 12 verse 1, Romans 121, You knew I was going to go there.
Romans 1212 says, I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of god.
to present your bodies as living sacrifices. I really love that. Amen.
Nowhere does god say, I want you to kill yourself for me.
Be a be a a a Kamakazi Christian. No.
Go out there and be a jotist. Blow yourself up for god. No.
The god of the Bible says live for me. Isn’t that great? What a difference?
I want living sacrifices. I said, well, aren’t all sacrifices living? Yeah.
But, listen, god’s living sacrifices are living when they show up, and they live bigger when they leave.
They’re still alive. Why? Cause he wants to do something. Watch this. Holy.
That means set apart from this world. Acceptable to god means you’re useful.
God make me useful, which is your spiritual worship. Some of your Bible say reasonable service.
But in the ESV, which I’m reading out of for this verse, it says the words spiritual worship.
I love that. verse twosys do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you, by testing may discern what is the will of god, what is good, and acceptable, and perfect.
How does that happen? worshiping god. Our service is a worship to god.
Believe it or not, for what god’s called me to do right now in teaching the Bible, I am worshiping god.
me right now. You say, well, good for you. You’re worshiping god by studying the Bible right now.
We’re all in an act of worship. We worship in giving. We worship in song. We worship in study.
We worship in proclaiming. Guess what? We worship by being alive. Yeah.
The believer is a walking, living, breathing, moving worship machine.
You ever seen those there’s that one pixar thing where that one guy’s got a flute and a drum and a cymbals, and he’s got a Oh, he’s just he he walks and he just all these musics coming out of one guy.
That’s us and the spirit. It’s amazing.
And then the word sanctuary, I’m gonna go fast with the time we have. See the word sanctuary?
All of this is from one and a half verses here.
The word sanctuary, Hageon and the Greek, the root word Hageos meaning a place or position.
could be worldview. Everybody has a worldview of being sanctified or in a religion or in religious awe that which is sacred, holy, dedicated, or saintly.
By the way, that that word, this is Hegion, Hegios, is an amazing word because when you be you put you’re a you’re a hegio as an unbeliever and when you become a believer, it’s Hagios, which is amazing.
And the only difference is, even though it sounds different, the only difference is to go from being condemned to being called the saint is that there’s an I, the letter I is dropped right in the middle of the word.
And I remember years ago, somebody pointing out that that eye could be interpreted as Jesus gets right in the middle of your life, the great I am.
steps in. He takes that which is condemned, drops an I like the I am in the middle and makes it saintly.
Isn’t that amazing? Absolutely amazing.
But the sanctuary so speaking about here, an earthly sanctuary, It says that the earthly sanctuary was dedicated.
It’s a place of awe and reverence. It’s a meaningful sacred spot. We get that. We understand that.
Just right down the street from here in the freeway is that, Whatever it is.
It looks like a sand castle.
It’s but, you know, I’ve not been, but I I wanna go see it.
I I I heard the inside uh, is in is, like, is a super wonder.
It’s all hand done, and it’s, But, you know, look, I sand castle on the outside.
But on the inside, there’s pictures of it on the internet, and it’s just people coming from all over the world, Is it a Hindu?
Yes. Uh, temple or whatever it is? Um, that place, listen, To them, that place is sanctified.
Well, this is a tilt up concrete building. open ceiling.
Uh, that’s why it’s painted black.
If you if that ceiling above your head was not painted black, you’d be looking up there saying, what an ugly mess.
Well, everything up there is there’s stuff up there orange and blue and white and Wires you say, I can’t see it.
That’s why it’s black. All these imperfections up there The place down the street is a piece of artwork.
This place is practical. equally sanctified, but I’m rooting for the home team here.
our god is alive and resurrected from the dead.
Our god died in the cross for your sins and their sins.
And so he’s so much better. And then there’s the word Tabernetco.
We’re actually gonna pull this off. So guys, get ready. Tabernacle. Tabernacle.
The word means, and this is fun. Tabernacle. A humble dwelling or a tent.
irrespective of grander or how ornate something may be here on earth.
At its best, it is limited due to its humiliation. It’s humiliation. Watch up.
You say, how can how can it be How could the how could how could the Vatican be humiliation?
Oh, it’s simple. It’s made out of stuff of this world. Are you hearing me?
Yeah. I am. I don’t care how beautiful it is.
Or even better, it’s humble state of origins.
Whatever we can build for god here on earth with earthly efforts, earthly tools, and earthly resources, can only at best be dedicated to god because it is limited by its humble nature.
Oh, look at the cathedral we built. It’s awesome. Yes. Fantastic.
But it’s made of things of this earth. Right?
God began to engrain that in the minds of Israel in the wilderness coming out of Egypt, coming out of the world, so to speak, to show them on a journey that he was gonna reveal himself to them and that he would walk them through their genologies to bring them and all who would believe in the lord Jesus Christ to heaven.
That’s why in the tabernacle of the wilderness, nothing could satisfy both god and man completely.
Then the temple was built in Jerusalem, but yet still god nor ma’am was satisfied completely.
There’s going to be a day friend that you and I are gonna enter into the tabernacle, which is in heaven forever, But in the meantime, for the believer, we’ll get on this next week, is that god has left the building.
Where did he go? In us. In you. Yeah. And in you. Yeah.
And in you. So, guys, let’s dim the lights a little bit. We’ll end with this.
This is pretty cool. Let’s watch this video.
The Tabernacle, Hamish Khan.
The Hebrew word means dwelling place.
It was where god dwelled with his people, and its elements show us how to relate with god.
After delivering Israelites from slavery in Egypt. God gave them detailed instructions on how to build this dwelling.
once constructed, the lord descended on the Tabernacle in a pillar of cloud.
Curtans separated the whole Tabernacle from the rest of the Israeliting Hammond.
In this courtyard was the Tabernacle’s largest piece of furniture, the altar.
a wooden box covered with bronze.
The altar was shaped as a square, measuring approximately 7 a half feet long and 7 a half feet wide.
From top to bottom, it stood about four and a half feet.
Hollow space inside the box allowed priests to insert coals.
Above was
a bronze grating where priests would lay animals for sacrifice.
A horn of one piece with the altar stood at each corner.
4 bronze rings under the ledge allowed one to insert carrying poles so the Israelites could the altar.
Between the altar and the tentative meeting was a bronze labor.
priests had to cleanse their hands and feet here before offering sacrifices or entering the tent.
Within the inner tent, stood one of the most recognized elements of the whole tabernacle, the Menora.
A lamp stand with 3 branches that rose on side to create a total of 7 lamps.
This solid gold lamp stand weighed about
£75.
each lamp was a small cup that the priest would fill with oil to fuel the light.
Each branch in the middle of the shaft had Almond blossoms. The menorah served a most practical purpose.
It was the only source of light in the tent. an eternal light that was never to go out.
Also in the tent, stood a wooden table covered with gold.
on it was to always remain the bread of the presence.
The bread of the presence symbolizes god’s desire to be with his people.
incense was to burn continuously on the altar.
God instructed the priest to replenish the incense every evening and morning.
A curtain separated the holy place from the holy of holy The menorah, the altar of incense, and the bread of the presence were all in the holy place, but outside this veil.
Like the curtains covering the tentative meeting, this veil was blue, purple, and scarlet, with cherubim, a kind of angel.
beyond the veil at the far end of the Tabernacle was the ark.
The ark was a wooden box covered with gold. It was nearly 4 feet long.
Its width and height were about 2 feet, 3 inches.
Like the altar, the arch head rings and pulls so the Israel could carry it as they traveled.
Within the arc were the 2 stone tablets on which god had written the 10 commandments.
Later, it contained a sample of Mana, and the rod that bloomed to reinforce Aaron’s leadership.
The mercy seat was the arc to lead
and features prominently on Yomaki Poor or
the day of atonement. At each end, stood a chair of facing the other with its wings outspread.
This cover was made of solid gold.
The priest was spring the blood of the sacrifice on this mercy seat, symbolizing that the nation’s sins were covered for another year.
While only the high priest would see it, the mercy suit was the key symbol of atonement that god would forgive his people.
though daily sacrifices on the altar were necessary for payment of sin, it was only through the mercy scene on the day of atonement that the stain of sin was washed away.
All of that.
While priests had to make repeated sacrifices, One man offered a sacrifice to atone for sin once and for
all. Amen.
When Jesus, the Messiah died, He sprinkled his own blood before god, securing atonement forever, for all who would trust in him.
Jesus cleanses us, makes us pure, and enables us to rightly approach the lord.
He tore the veil but kept distance between Israel and the Lord.
God dwelled among the Israelites through a tent Now he dwells within his people through the spirit.
Amen.
If if I would in that beautiful, the Bible tells us that all of that was symbolic to represent Christ.
That’s a tough thing for someone who’s bound up in the traditions of men.
That’s a tough thing for someone who’s practicing Judaism because they’re stuck right there.
They’ve gone to a point, and then there’s no going beyond There’s silence again because they’re not willing to hear.
Maybe you’re not willing to hear that all of that was written in the Bible and it says in the Bible that it spoke of Christ.
Every bit of those things and we’ll see it next week together.
Everything spoke about Christ. I’ll give you a clue right now, especially if you leave out through the center, and you’ll see the menorah There’s the Hanukkah lot you’d lamp.
You can’t call it a Menora. You it it’s a Hanukkah. It’s a what is it? 9 wrenches?
That’s for something else. It’s not in the Bible.
There’s only a manure in the Bible. Listen.
It appears in the old testament, in the working of the priesthood, in the wilderness, 7 lamp stands or 7 branches, and then it doesn’t appear again until the book of Revelation.
And we’ll get into it next week.
The 7 lampstand in the old testament, the high priest would walk with blood by the lampstand of 7.
Book of Revelation tells us that Jesus walks through the midst of the 7 lampstands that are burning.
That’s the church in totality, but in you personally.
According to the scripture, Christ is walking with you in you who believe.
And so That’s what I would have said if we would have had more time.
Father, tonight, we We see that CGI presentation of how it might have been, And it helps because we see the arc of the covenant.
We see the angels in reverence looking down at what would be the remarkable view of pure gold but then blood poured on top of that gold, the brilliant of brilliance of red and gold, The purity of god represented in the gold.
and the blood speaking of the atonement of something so fallen, so broken, so hurt and so much in disarray.
that it would take the blood of almighty god, Jesus Christ, the righteous, to heal our lives.
Father tonight, I pray that you had script from us, all visage of religiosity.
God cleans us, we invite you, church stand together.
As I pray, lord, we we ask you to cleanse us and to strip us, lord, of the things of this world that are hindering us from dry close.
Lord, tonight, we offer to you ourselves as living sacrifices, which is Lord, our reasonable worship to you tonight.
We invite you to do what you want with us.
Church, Christian family, listen, right now, wherever you’re at, believer, in your own words, in your own head, can you just say to him, however you’d like to say it to him, that I invite you into my life lord to do what’s next?
What what do you want next, lord? Show me. I lay it on the line with you.
I lay it out before you. I give it all to you.
And so, lord, that is our prayer tonight.
And I pray this evening, too, that for the man or woman, boy or girl, who doesn’t know you, that they would get jealous in a sanctified way because God, you’re so good, and you’re so precious to say such things to us as you have in your holy that it so affect our life that people would say, can I know the one you know?
Can I be with the one that you’re with? Who is your god?
Lord, while time remains may we be faithful?
Glory be to the lord Jesus Christ, who has given us eternal life, this we know, And we rejoice in that fact in Jesus name.
Church, let’s worship him now as we end in God bless you. Amen.
