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The ministry of Bread of His Presence is centered around bringing ourselves and leading others into the life-giving presence of God in and through Bible study, prayer, and ministering to a world that is in desperate need of the healing touch of Jesus Christ.
Episodes
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Last week we began looking at Numbers 16. And this chapter opens up with the grumbling of God's people against Him and the religious leaders He had set up (Moses and Aaron). A man named Korah, a Kohathite who had honorable duties in the service of the Tabernacle, allowed himself to become greedy for the wealth and prestige he thought that Moses and Aaron were after, thinking they were trying to establish a priesthood like the one they had experienced in Egypt. And so Korah incites the people to complain and leads a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, and leads over 250 men to rebel against Moses and Aaron. And we see that God judged them very strongly. Just as they had tried to divide God's people, so God divides the people in order to separate them from Korah and the men following him. And after this, he divides the earth and it closes upon those who chose to follow Korah and the 250 men. And the point here cannot be missed, and that is that God judges those who sin against him according to their sin. You reap what you sow. Well, Korah sowed division and it was the very division of the earth that swallowed him up. And then, if you remember, fire went out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men with censers as they sought to offer incense before the Lord, a task that was reserved for only Aaron and his line.
Harsh?-- Now all of this (as well as our passage today) may seem harsh to us, but when we look at scripture in context we see that Korah's rebellion was only one in a long list of grumblings of the people of God.
Context of Rebellion-- You know, it’s interesting; you can actually divide the wanderings of Israel according to their grumblings and rebellions in the desert. Sad, but true. 14 times we find Israel complaining. They complain saying that Moses made Pharaoh’s oppression worse (Exodus 5:1-22), they complain again later, telling Moses to leave them alone (Exodus 14:11-12); they complain about the bitter water (Exodus 15:22), about being hungry (Exodus 16:1-4), about being thirsty (Exodus 17:1-4); they complain about Moses’ long delay on Sinai and forsake God and worship a golden calf (Exodus 32:28); they complain about the food (Numbers 11); Miriam and Aaron complain about Moses’ leadership (Numbers 12:1-12); the people complain about how difficult it looked to conquer the giants in the land; so they refused to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 14:1-10), they complain again and want to even kill Moses and then seek another leader (Numbers 14:10); then the key leaders rebel against Moses (Numbers 16); the people complain again and they accuse Moses of killing God’s people (Numbers 16:41); the people contended with Moses again because of no water (Numbers 20:1-5); and finally the people complain against God and Moses in Numbers 21:4-5. And each of these incidents of complaining is met by a response from God, often of judgment.
Another Instance-- But all this to say, our passage takes place within a much larger context of complaining and rebellion. Chapter 16 begins with the 11th grumbling and before we get out of chapter 16 we come across the 12th, which is the subject of our passage today. Go ahead and look with me, starting at…
Numbers 16:41 (ESV)-- 41 But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.”
Still Grumbling!!!— Now [It is nearly unbelievable that after the divine judgments—which were so clearly the work of Yahweh—the people held Moses and Aaron responsible for the calamities] But they did. And yet for God’s righteous judgment they blame Moses and Aaron. And it’s interesting they say to Moses and Aaron, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” because the people who died were actually those who had sided against the Lord; they had become Korah’s people. But the people don’t recognize this. In fact, in their saying “the people of the Lord ”, they are actually implying that Moses and Aaron are the ones who have committed a crime against God.
Pointing Fingers-- It is kind of like we see in the modern political world now. Those who point their finger are often times the ones who are the most guilty of the very crime they are accusing. This is not something new. It was going on here too. The people of Israel, even after all of this, still do not demonstrate a repentant spirit. They are still trying to shift the blame onto somebody else; in this case Moses and Aaron. And again they choose to rebel. And so once again God shows up. It says…
Numbers 16:42 (ESV)— 42 And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting. And behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.
A Dead Army Mule-- There reads an [Epitaph on the gravestone of an army mule: Here lies Maggie, who in her time kicked two captains, four lieutenants, ten sergeants, fifty privates, and one bomb.] In a similar way the Israelites, after kicking numerous times, have finally kicked the bomb. God must judge them harshly in order to regain order among the people. And so it says…
Numbers 16:43-50 (ESV)— 43 And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces. 46 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the Lord; the plague has begun.” 47 So Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the midst of the assembly. And behold, the plague had already begun among the people. And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped. 49 Now those who died in the plague were 14,700, besides those who died in the affair of Korah. 50 And Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, when the plague was stopped.
You know, it’s amazing that after all of this Moses and Aaron are still willing to intercede and be the means of salvation for God’s people (this is the 5th time Moses has interceded on their behalf. Much like Jesus on the cross, who was saving the very people who were then piercing Him, Moses and Aaron were willing to intercede for the very people who were persecuting them. And though many died, their intervention saved many. And so the judgement is ended. And God gives more instruction to further settle the matter. It says…
Numbers 17:1-2a (ESV) Aaron's Staff Buds--1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, and get from them staffs, one for each fathers' house, from all their chiefs according to their fathers' houses, twelve staffs.
Staffs As Symbols of Authority-- Now a staff was a very important symbol in the ancient world. It was not just something you would lean on. It was also a symbol of power and authority. You will remember that in many of the hieroglyphics that have been discovered in Egypt, we see images of Pharaohs who typically are holding two objects in their hands: a rod/staff and a flail/whip, which is also seen on the tombs of mummies such as King Tutankhamen, who has them crossed over his chest. You see, the Pharaohs were shepherds (not of sheep, but of people) and needed the staff to care for them and the flail to discipline them. So it is interesting that God chooses to use an easily recognizable symbol of authority to show who in fact has the authority. He says…
Numbers 17:2b-11 (ESV)— Write each man's name on his staff, 3 and write Aaron's name on the staff of Levi. For there shall be one staff for the head of each fathers' house. 4 Then you shall deposit them in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. 5 And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout. Thus I will make to cease from me the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against you.” 6 Moses spoke to the people of Israel. And all their chiefs gave him staffs, one for each chief, according to their fathers' houses, twelve staffs. And the staff of Aaron was among their staffs. 7 And Moses deposited the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the testimony. 8 On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. 9 Then Moses brought out all the staffs from before the Lord to all the people of Israel. And they looked, and each man took his staff. 10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die.” 11 Thus did Moses; as the Lord commanded him, so he did.
God Affirms the Aaronic Priesthood-- Now each of these staffs had been cut and personalized from some dead piece of wood, or were made dead after being severed from whatever tree they were cut from. And then God has them place them in the Tabernacle, where His presence dwelt in order for Him to choose the staff of the person He wants to be His person of authority. Aaron’s staff (from the tribe of Levi) was among the others and was just as dead and lifeless as the others were. But what happens? Aaron’s staff not only buds (as God promised) but also blossoms and bears almonds. Now imagine this. This would be like sitting at your kitchen table one day and suddenly discovering branches had grown out underneath and fruit was growing on those branches. Aaron’s staff had been just as dead as the staffs of the other men, but his came alive again. Now this is significant because in this we see that Aaron’s priesthood is confirmed by God by resurrection. And the reason this is interesting is that when we come to the book of Hebrews in the New Testament, we find that Jesus’ own resurrection made and ratified Him as our ultimate High Priest.
Hebrews 7:23-25 (ESV)-- 23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost[a] those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Our High Priest-- So Jesus is our High Priest; and this is confirmed by His resurrection; and not only by His resurrection, but also the resurrection He performs in each and every one of our lives when He is truly allowed to enter in. He brings us from death to life. And when we give Him those things in our life that either are death-producing or are dead themselves, He can bring life; if you’ll let Him.
I want to encourage you this morning, if there is any area of your life that is not yielded to the full control of Jesus, give it to Him. Like that staff, submit it into the presence of God and you WILL experience His resurrection power. Like He did with that dead stick, He will create in you new life; a fruitful life; everlasting life. But that life can only come through submission to God and the high priest He has set over you: Jesus Christ. Submit to Him today. Amen.
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Bread of His Presence is a ministry centered around leading people into the life-giving presence of God in and through vibrant Biblical teaching, prayer, and active discipleship with the aim of ministering to a world that is in desperate need of the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Every week we broadcast an all-new 15 minute show on KGNW The Word Seattle (820AM) at 1:15pm and on AM1300 The Answer at 8:15pm, hosted by senior pastor and Bible teacher Pastor Cameron Ury. Be sure to subscribe to the Bread of His Presence Podcast and visit us at BreadofHisPresence.org.
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Bread of His Presence is a ministry centered around leading people into the life-giving presence of God in and through vibrant Biblical teaching, prayer, and active discipleship with the aim of ministering to a world that is in desperate need of the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Every week we broadcast an all-new 15 minute show on KGNW The Word Seattle (820AM) at 1:15pm and on AM1300 The Answer at 8:15pm, hosted by senior pastor and Bible teacher Pastor Cameron Ury. Be sure to subscribe to the Bread of His Presence Podcast and visit us at BreadofHisPresence.org.
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Bread of His Presence is a ministry centered around leading people into the life-giving presence of God in and through vibrant Biblical teaching, prayer, and active discipleship with the aim of ministering to a world that is in desperate need of the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Every week we broadcast an all-new 15 minute show on KGNW The Word Seattle (820AM) at 1:15pm and on AM1300 The Answer at 8:15pm, hosted by senior pastor and Bible teacher Pastor Cameron Ury. Be sure to subscribe to the Bread of His Presence Podcast and visit us at BreadofHisPresence.org.
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Bread of His Presence is a ministry centered around leading people into the life-giving presence of God in and through vibrant Biblical teaching, prayer, and active discipleship with the aim of ministering to a world that is in desperate need of the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Every week we broadcast an all-new 15 minute show on KGNW The Word Seattle (820AM) at 1:15pm and on AM1300 The Answer at 8:15pm, hosted by senior pastor and Bible teacher Pastor Cameron Ury. Be sure to subscribe to the Bread of His Presence Podcast and visit us at BreadofHisPresence.org.
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Bread of His Presence is a ministry centered around leading people into the life-giving presence of God in and through vibrant Biblical teaching, prayer, and active discipleship with the aim of ministering to a world that is in desperate need of the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Every week we broadcast an all-new 15 minute show on KGNW The Word Seattle (820AM) at 1:15pm and on AM1300 The Answer at 8:15pm, hosted by senior pastor and Bible teacher Pastor Cameron Ury. Be sure to subscribe to the Bread of His Presence Podcast and visit us at BreadofHisPresence.org.
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Bread of His Presence is a ministry centered around leading people into the life-giving presence of God in and through vibrant Biblical teaching, prayer, and active discipleship with the aim of ministering to a world that is in desperate need of the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Every week we broadcast an all-new 15 minute show on KGNW The Word Seattle (820AM) at 1:15pm and on AM1300 The Answer at 8:15pm, hosted by senior pastor and Bible teacher Pastor Cameron Ury. Be sure to subscribe to the Bread of His Presence Podcast and visit us at BreadofHisPresence.org.
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
During out time together, in recent weeks we have been studying the Tabernacle of God; it’s furnishings and rituals that point us to the person and work of Jesus Christ. And we have moved in our study past the altar of incense and come to the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, wherein lay the Ark of the Covenant, where the presence of God came and rested upon (Exodus 25:22). And it is on that veil that I would like to dwell on a little bit longer during our time together today…
Exodus 26:31-33 (ESV)-- 31 “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. 32 And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. 33 And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy”
Not long ago Tanya and I were traveling internationally and therefore had to adventure our way through a number of international airports. And sometimes it is so fascinating, as you are sitting at your gate waiting for your next flight, to observe other people from other cultures as they go about the same business that you are. And they do so using different languages, different customs, and of course wearing different dress. And I remember one airport in particular had a high concentration of Middle Eastern men and women, (most of whom were Muslim) and some of whom dressed ultra conservatively. Muslim women in particular would sometimes wear veils that would completely cover their faces to where you could only see a tiny sliver of their eyes. The only other skin that you could see was that of their hands and sometimes feet.
Now the use of the veil stretches back into ancient times. But in ancient times the use of the veil was far less constrictive (generally speaking) than it has become since the birth of Islam and the Koran many years after the death and resurrection of Christ. But even in ancient times “the veil was regarded from ancient times by women of character as indispensable.” And there were many different kinds of veils and headdresses, which varied from one another in style. [In patriarchal times wives (Gen. 12:14) and young women (24:15) went about, especially when engaged in their household duties, without veils; and yet in early times the betrothed veiled herself in the presence of the bridegroom ({as Rebekah did when she approached Isaac in Genesis} 24:65), and lewd women veiled themselves ({as revealed to us in Genesis} 38:15) {with the account of Judah and Tamar in order to conceal their identity, as Tamar did.}.]
Now whatever your reason for wearing a veil (in order to be modest because you are moral or to conceal your identity because you are immoral), it is a very clear way of saying, “You don’t have access to me. My face (the essence of my personhood and who I am is reserved for somebody else. Access to my face is a level of relationship not available to you.”
And in scripture we find that God Himself reveals that there is that same kind restriction on access to His face. It says in…
Exodus 33:18-23 (ESV)-- 18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
This is why you might say, when God visited His people in the Tabernacle, He wore a veil. You may have never heard it put quite like that before, but that is what is going on. God wears a veil, which is seen in the Tabernacle, separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy place. It was a barrier that could not be crossed save by the High Priest, and that only once a year on the Great Day of Atonement, when he would sprinkle the blood of the Sin Offering on the mercy seat, and burnt incense within the veil (Lev 16:1).
Now the blood of the Sin Offering was of course a temporary sacrifice for sin. You will remember that because man sinned in the Garden of Eden, we were cut off from the presence of God. Because we partook of The Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil, we could no longer partake of The Tree of Life, which was a manifestation of the presence of God. So the first thing we lost in the Garden was the presence of God; we lost the Tree of Life, which caused us to begin to experience this new abnormal reality called death. And Adam and Eve are forced out of the Garden. And what is placed to guard the way back to the Tree of Life? It says in…
Genesis 3:24 (ESV)-- 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
Now it is no coincidence then that it says of the veil in…
Exodus 26:31-33 (ESV)-- 31 “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it.
So the cherubim woven onto that veil (and which were also incorporated in the mercy seat itself) may have reminded and represented to those who saw them that those cherubim that had been placed in the Garden were (in a sense) still in place; access to God (to the Tree of life) was still barred. And God was not trying to shut Israel out because He didn’t wasn’t to be close to them; the reason He had the Tabernacle instituted at all was so that He might be near His people. But rather it was to protect his people (who were still under sin and were themselves sinful) from coming into His presence and (because of His holiness) getting killed. The veil was a means of protection. But we know that as close as God was, it was not close enough. He wanted to dwell not only with His people, but in them. And in order for that to take place, we needed to be cleansed of our sin. Before we could come into His presence, the veil (the barrier) needed to be crossed (every pun intended).
And it is crossed in and through the obedience of Jesus. Jesus lived that fully obedient human life that we ourselves were never able to live. And He did it in our very flesh. He succeeded where Adam failed and through His obedience in our very flesh and in His death on the cross. He tears that holy veil away because He lived a perfect human life and His humanity was therefore perfect. And the tearing of humanity; his flesh it what saved us. In fact, the writer of Hebrews reveals how what the veil actually represented was the flesh/humanity of Jesus Christ. He says in…
Hebrews 10:19-20 (ESV)-- 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
Remember Jesus’ last moments on the cross. It says in…
Mark 15:37-39 (ESV)-- 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. “38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
You know I have been to a number of weddings in my lifetime, as I am sure that you have as well. And some of them can be very elaborate and well-planned out. And there is a remarkable symbolism inherent in a lot of the rituals we engage in during a wedding ceremony. And the highlight of every wedding ceremony is no doubt that incredible moment when the bride comes down the aisle (face covered with a veil) towards her prospective groom, who is waiting in anticipation for her. And then comes that moment when they exchange vows and commit to a deeper relationship of service and love. And the minister tells the groom he can kiss the bride. And so her face is unveiled and they kiss for the first time as man and wife. Why did the veil in the temple tear? Because it was the moment that all of humanity had been waiting for since the creation and fall of the world into sin; the moment the veil was lifted so that we could again share a relationship with God that is as close as a kiss. It is the moment that we are enabled (through the torn body of Christ represented by that torn veil) to enter into the presence of God.
The moment Jesus’ body is torn, the veil in the temple is torn. And as the writer of Hebrews points out in Hebrews 9:12, Jesus is our High Priest; yet the first High Priest to make atonement with His own blood rather than the blood of animals. He is both victim and High Priest. And He crosses into the Holy Place (heaven) in order that we also might gain entrance to heaven through faith in Him.
Now what God has been speaking to me in this passage is really a challenge. And that is, “Am I taking advantage of my access to God as much as I should be?” Am I coming into His presence on a regular basis. Am I drawing from Him the strength that I need for my day; for my family and my ministry? Or do I treat lightly the amazing gift that Jesus gave me in and through the shedding of His blood. Am I denying myself the strength and renewal He wants to give me and that can be found in and through simply coming into His presence? I am challenged by the words of…
Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)
31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
Are you exercising your privilege of access to God? Today I encourage you to come into the presence of God; and not just today, but everyday. Take time to come into the holy of holies and experience the life-giving presence of Jesus Christ, who can restore your life; who can renew your strength; who can make you mount up with wings as eagles. Take advantage each and every day of the awesome privilege we have of coming into the presence of God. Amen.
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Our scripture today comes from Exodus 26:31-33. It reads….
“31“And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. 32And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. 33And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy”
As we continue in our study of the Tabernacle of God and move past the altar of incense, we come to the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, wherein lay the Ark of the Testimony, where the presence of God was (Exodus 25:22). And it was a barrier that could not be crossed saved by the High Priest; and that only once a year. Therefore it was a symbol of our separation from God; not because God didn’t want to have fellowship with us (indeed, that is why the Tabernacle was built; because He wanted to be in the midst of His people); but it was because He is holy; and we (because of our sin) are unholy and therefore unable to dwell in the presence of a holy God. Yet God intended that barrier to be temporary, as He had plan to redeem us from our sins with the blood of His Son in order that we might be allowed into His presence and have direct access to Him.
Some time ago I was Skyping my wife from Israel, and it was funny because I was telling her the various places we had been and the things we had been doing. And (never having been to Israel before) it was just strange for me to say things like "We had lunch on top of Mount Carmel" or "We had a worship service in a boat on the Sea of Galilee." I mean it kind of sounds silly, doesn't it? I mean it's kind of like saying we had a picnic in Narnia or Mordor. I always knew these Biblical places were real, but they had become real to me in a new way. The whole experience was just unreal.
But my favorite part of the trip was coming to Jerusalem. Our team joined in a long tradition of making a pilgrimage to the holy city. During the time of Christ, those living in the land had to come to Jerusalem 3 times a year to worship and offer sacrifices at the Temple. And Jesus (who obeyed every jot and every tittle of the Law) would have done this as well.
Now once you get up to Jerusalem, you find that all around the temple there are literally around a thousand small ritual baths called Mikvehs in which you would dip yourself three times in order to be made ritually clean before you went into the temple to offer sacrifices. And these Mikvehs are used all over the Holy Land for ritual clean-ness, but there is a high concentration of them around the Jewish temple. So you would make yourself clean, then enter the temple.
Now this is something that Jesus no doubt did many times when He came to the Temple. In fact I saw more than one first century Mikveh (still there) that Jesus could've used. But what is ironic is that Jesus didn't need to be cleansed. He was the ultimate cleanser. And we see this over and over throughout the Gospels. Jesus touches the unclean. I think of the unclean woman who had an issue of bleeding touching Jesus (a Rabbi). She could have been stoned for that. But instead of her uncleaness passing to Jesus, His cleanness passed to her and she was made clean. And you have to understand this, because Christ's touching of people like her stretches beyond just mere healing. For us, that's the big event. But the touch goes beyond that and reaches even so far as to make them ritually clean; acceptable in God's sight and in the sight of those in their community, in which they can once again be accepted.
But what I want you to really remember is that Jesus didn't need to be cleansed. He was the ultimate cleanser. And His deepest work of cleansing he performs on the cross.
One of the most incredible experiences of my life took place on our visit to Jerusalem. We were visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a massive Church that is built on top of the cite where Jesus Christ was most likely crucified and buried. We always think of them as two separate places; that Jesus’ body was carried some distance away. No, Jesus was buried almost in the same place He was crucified. This is confirmed in…
John 19:41-- 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.
Now as you can imagine, there was quite a crowd in that Church. And me and my group were standing in line waiting to pass by what is believed by many to be the very rock upon which Jesus was crucified. And though it was under a plastic enclosure, there was a cutout through which you could reach your hand and touch the rock. And I remember coming to that place, kneeling, and touching that rock. And let me tell you, that was a memorable experience. I could have stayed there for hours; to be by the place where my Lord was crucified; at the foot of where that old rugged cross actually stood. But because of the line I had to quickly move on. And after that I wandered to a different part of the Church and down to a lower level. And I ended up joining my uncle who was looking at one site in particular. It was kind of an interesting display, but I didn’t know what it was, so I asked my Uncle and he told me that it was the tomb/grave of Adam. Not the real grave obviously; nobody knows where the real one is, but one that was meant as a representation. And the whole notion seemed kind of strange to me, so I asked my Uncle why it was there. And he explained to me that it was for the symbolism. You see what I hadn’t realized is that we had come directly under the cite I had just been to where I had gotten to touch the place where Christ’s cross had stood. The tomb of Adam was set up directly under that cite because they were trying to communicate something theologically. The blood of Christ, shed on that cross flowed down from the cross, into the ground, all the way down to Adam’s tomb where it touched and cleansed **that original sin he brought into the world. And, in a sense, Adam’s tomb was the very foundation of the cross because without that original sin, there would be no need for a Savior. We have to understand Adam and what his sin brought into the world before we can understand Christ and what He undid.
I want you to ask yourself a question. Is it a coincidence that both the sin that destroyed the world and the obedience that saved it both began in a garden? Ever since I had the privilege of walking in Gethsemane, I have wondered that very thing. The truth is, we have to understand what happened in the Garden of Eden (where Adam said, “My will be done”) before we can understand what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane (where Jesus prayed, “Thy will be done.”), because it was through the obedience of Jesus where Adam had slipped that the grace we are offered in Christ Jesus finds its power. The healing of the Garden of Eden begins in the Garden of Gethsemane. Paul understood this, which is why he wrote in…
Romans 5:19-- 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
You see it is that obedience of Christ that undoes the sin of Adam. Original sin/Adam’s sin can be cleansed in your life and in mine through the work of Jesus that he did on the cross. And the immediate result of that sacrifice is seen in…
Mark 15:37-39-- “37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last”.
“38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
Now the temple was destroyed not long after Christ’s death; just as He had predicted. And this presents a problem for the Jews because they no longer have the Holy of Holies where the presence of God dwells. The closest thing they have to the Holy of Holies is the western wall of Jerusalem, which you have heard is called the Wailing Wall. Jews from all over the world come to pray at that wall because that wall is the closest they can ever get to God. I mean, can you imagine?
For Jews that barrier of the Law; that veil is still there. They are still separated from God. They don't believe the Messiah has come and while we are waiting for His second coming, they are still waiting for His first. They have missed it. And I got to share the Gospel twice on that trip to Israel; once with a Jew on the way there and again with a Jew on the way back, showing them from scripture how Jesus Christ fulfills the prophecies spoken about Him in the Old Testament, particularly Psalm 22, which gives almost a line by line description of the crucifixion of Jesus, mirroring those final events surrounding His death. But they don't accept it because for them the Messiah is a conqueror, not one who surrenders; not one who lays His life down (and I had a Jew tell me that from his own lips).
Now for us, the story is different. We have hope. We don't trust in Holy sites, relics, or laws. Because we know that the veil is torn. Because of what Christ did on the cross, we no longer have a barrier that separates us from God. We have direct access to the Father. Why?
Because Jesus Christ is our Mikveh. It is in and through Him that we are made clean in God's eyes. We are baptized in His blood, which washes us white as snow. We have direct access to the place where God dwells. He is the One through whom we are made clean, Holy, and acceptable in God's sight. And we need to remember to never take that cleansing or that direct access to God for granted. It is a gift beyond all gifts. And seeing these Jews still enslaved to that Law has made me realize just how much we often take those things for granted. We have access to God. Yet are we taking advantage of that access; are we really praying without ceasing. We ought to; for ourselves, our families, our Church; for our nation and yes for the nation of Israel that they may come to know that same hope that we have. Let us commit to do this. Amen.
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Exodus 30:1-10 (ESV) The Altar of Incense-- 1 “You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. 2 A cubit[a] shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it. 4 And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 6 And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. 7 And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, 8 and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 Do not offer on this altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. 10 Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the Lord.”
As we continue in our study of the Tabernacle of God, we come to this altar of incense, which was placed before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, wherein lay the Ark of the Testimony, where the presence of God was (Exodus 25:22). And on this altar Aaron was instructed to burn incense every day, both in the morning and at twilight.
And in Scripture, incense is often associated with prayer. David prayed, “May my prayer be set before you like incense” (Psalm 141:2). In the book of Revelation, in John’s vision of heaven, he sees that the elders around the throne “were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people” (Revelation 5:8; cf. 8:3). As Zechariah the priest was offering incense in the temple in Luke 1:10, it says “all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.”
The altar of incense, then, is seen to be symbolic of the prayers offered to God by His people. And it is interesting, the incense was supposed to always be kept burning; which means also that just as it’s fragrance doesn’t wain, neither should the prayers of God’s people. We are to pray (as Luke 18:1) state, continually.
Early African believers were earnest and regular in private devotions. Each one reportedly had a separate spot in the thicket where he would pour out his heart to God. Over time, the paths to these places became well worn. As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it was soon apparent to the others. They would kindly remind the negligent one, "Brother, the grass grows on your path."
It is easy to let the grass grow on our spiritual paths. And when we are confronted with questions about how faithfully we are walking with God and spending time with Him in devotions, we instantly come up with a whole list of excuses. And we instantly try to pass the blame onto someone or something else (like our busy schedules).
But then we get upset when we find that we have an empty life. And sometimes people even blame God. They might ask, “God, why don’t I sense your presence. Why do you always feel so distant.” But you know I think God often responds back, “How much time did you spend reading your Bible this week?”
“None.”
How much time did you spend in prayer?”
“None.”
You see, we have to realize that the responsibility for any spiritual dryness in our lives (not ordinary trials, but by dryness I mean a breakdown in the relationship); we have to realize that the fault is not God’s, but ours. He is always there, waiting to bless us. It’s just that often times we don't take the time to receive that blessing.
There is something about prayer that really tests our character. It is called a spiritual discipline because it requires just that: DISCIPLINE!!! You don’t always feel like praying. And in fact Satan doesn’t want you to pray either and will try to bring up every distraction possible in order to keep you from praying because He knows there is nothing more dangerous to the gates of Hell than a Christian humbling himself/herself before the throne of God. Because when we pray, God moves.
Watchman Nee was a very famous 20th century missionary to China. And once he shared the story of when he and a group of others were ministering on [an island off the South China coast. There were seven in the ministering group, including a sixteen-year-old new convert whom he calls Brother Wu. The island was fairly large, containing about 6,000 homes. {However} …Preaching seemed quite fruitless on the island, and Nee discovered it was because of the dedication of the people there to an idol they called Ta-wang. They were convinced of his power because on the day of his festival and parade each year the weather was always near perfect.
"When is the procession this year?" young Wu asked a group that had gathered to hear them preach.
"It is fixed for January 11th at 8 in the morning," was the reply.
"Then," said the new convert, "I promise you that it will certainly rain on the 11th."
At that there was an outburst of cries from the crowd: "That is enough! We don't want to hear any more preaching. If there is rain on the 11th, then your God is God!"
Watchman Nee had been elsewhere in the village when this confrontation had taken place. Upon being informed about it, he saw that the situation was serious and called the group to prayer. On the morning of the 11th, there was not a cloud in the sky, but during grace for breakfast, sprinkles began to fall and these were followed by heavy rain. Worshipers of the idol Ta-wang were so upset that they placed it in a sedan chair and carried it outdoors, hoping this would stop the rain. Then the rain increased. After only a short distance, the carriers of the idol stumbled and fell, dropping the idol and fracturing its jaw and left arm.
A number of young people turned to Christ as a result of the rain coming in answer to prayer, but the elders of the village made divination and said that the wrong day had been chosen. The proper day of the procession, they said, should have been the 14th. When Nee and his friends heard this, they again went to prayer, asking for rain on the 14th and for clear days for preaching until then. That afternoon the sky cleared and on the good days that followed there were thirty converts. Of the crucial test day, Nee says: The 14th broke, another perfect day, and we had good meetings. As the evening approached we met again at the appointed hour. We quietly brought the matter to the Lord's remembrance. Not a minute late, His answer came with torrential rain and floods as before.
The power of the idol over the islanders was broken; the enemy was defeated. Believing prayer had brought a great victory. Conversions followed. And the impact upon the servants of God who had witnessed His power would continue to enrich their Christian service from that time on.]
God wants to move through our prayers. But our prayer must begin with belief. We have to believe in God’s character; that in His nature He is holy, righteous, just, and loving. We have to believe in His ability. And thirdly, we have to believe in His willingness to act on our behalf. And that is where many of us fall short, I think. We believe in God’s character (though sometimes that skewed); we believe in His ability (most of the time); but we don’t often believe in the willingness of God to help us; I think we often times believe Him to be too big or too far removed from us to care about our little problems; when the reality is that He WANTS to be involved in our problems; He WANTS to work miracles; He WANTS to right down to the tiniest circumstance, help you to live victoriously. All we have to do is take the time ask; to offer up our prayers.
Now another thing that we cannot miss about the altar of incense is that it had to be purified. The blood of the sacrifice had to be applied to it in order to atone for it. And in fact the fire itself was to be brought from the altar of sacrifice itself. So you have this remarkable connection between the altar of sacrifice and the altar of prayer. It is in and through the sacrifice of Jesus that our prayers have value and are effective. And it is in and through Christ that our prayers are considered acceptable to God. And not only that, but it is not only our prayers that are represented. It is also Christ’s prayers for us.
As the altar of incense stood before the holy of holies where the presence of God dwelt, so also Christ stands before the Father, continually offering intercession on our behalf.
Romans 8:34 (ESV)-- 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
When I went to the Sea of Galilee, our guide pointed out to us, up on a hill Jesus probably had climbed many times, a secluded cave that overlooked the Sea of Galilee. Our guide told us that that may have very likely been one of Jesus’ lonely places; where He withdrew to pray. And I was in awe that I was looking at what very well could have been one of the places Jesus had His devotions; that quiet time with the Father. That may have been the place where Jesus looked out and saw the disciples struggling with their boat in the storm. Incredible!
But imagine that one day you climb that hill and find your Lord and Savior sitting there praying. He says, come join me. And you both kneel together and you quietly listen to Him pray as you both look out over the Sea of Galilee. How awesome would that be!!! Or let me me ask you this; would you ever be able to pray the same way again?
Robert McCheyne (a 19th century minister in the Church of Scotland) once said this: “If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me.” And we know that he is praying for us as well.
Today I want to encourage you to recognize the reality that Christ is praying for you. And if He loves you enough to pray for you, He is willing to answer those prayers you offer to Him that are in line with His perfect will for your life. Engage with Him in prayer today and He will be able to bless you and use you mightily. Amen.