I Did It My Way
Series: LEVITICUS || FREE TO BE HOLY
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 11th February 2017
Passage: Leviticus 10:1-11
00:00:00 --> 00:00:06 My Way is a song that was popularised in 1969 by Frank Sinatra.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:13 His version of My Way, in fact, spent 75 weeks in the UK Top 40,
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 a record which stands today.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 And what is interesting about this song
00:00:19 --> 00:00:25 is that it is the most frequently played song at British funeral services.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:31 It beats songs like Always Look on the Bright Side of Life by Monty Python
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 and Simply the Best by Tina Turner,
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 which are also quite popular funeral songs, by the way.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:42 And although this particular song became Frank Sinatra's signature work,
00:00:42 --> 00:00:47 his daughter Tina says that Sinatra came to, in fact, hate the song.
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 He thought the song was self-serving and self-indulgent,
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 and as it turns out, it wasn't played at his funeral.
00:00:53 --> 00:00:58 It portrays a life that is lived by my own rules.
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 It's lived my way.
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 I live life my way, my agenda, my standards.
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 I want to do what I want without any sort of constraints by anyone else.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:11 It pretty much sums up the attitude of the Western world
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 with its rampant individualism.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 As it turns out, although Sinatra hated the song,
00:01:17 --> 00:01:23 it was a favourite of former Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic.
00:01:23 --> 00:01:29 He used to play the song with increasing volume from his prison cell
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 while he stood on trial for crimes against humanity.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 He too did it his way.
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 And as we look into Leviticus 8 to 10,
00:01:39 --> 00:01:45 we'll see that God expects people to approach him his way, God's way.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:50 But as we will find out, his way leads to joy.
00:01:50 --> 00:01:54 To do it your way, our way, any other way, in fact, leads to death.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 We're spending, as Sam has indicated,
00:01:57 --> 00:02:01 six weeks in this strange world of Leviticus.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:06 Last week we saw that Genesis introduces to a ruined race
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 because of disobedience to God's word.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 Adam and Eve are thrown out of the Garden of Eden,
00:02:12 --> 00:02:17 out of God's presence, a paradise which God had created,
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 was lost in Genesis 3.
00:02:20 --> 00:02:24 Exodus introduces us to a redeemed people
00:02:24 --> 00:02:28 who are miraculously rescued from slavery in Egypt by God.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 God gathers them as his people
00:02:31 --> 00:02:32 and makes a covenant agreement with them
00:02:32 --> 00:02:36 to be his special people through Moses.
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 And this leads us to Leviticus,
00:02:39 --> 00:02:43 where God reveals how his people are now to live in this new relationship
00:02:43 --> 00:02:47 and how it works out in every detail of life.
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 They're to live as new people,
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 living distinct lives amongst the nations.
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 And the immediate background to Leviticus
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 is Exodus 25 to 40,
00:02:58 --> 00:03:01 the last bit of the book of Exodus.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 And it's all about the construction of the tabernacle.
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 And the word tabernacle means dwelling.
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 The tabernacle was meant to symbolize the paradise
00:03:10 --> 00:03:14 that the human race had lost back in the Garden of Eden.
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 And we saw that many of the details of the tabernacle
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 reflected the details of the Garden of Eden.
00:03:21 --> 00:03:22 And by the end of Exodus,
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 the tabernacle is built.
00:03:25 --> 00:03:29 And God is again dwelling amongst his people.
00:03:30 --> 00:03:31 But there's a problem.
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 As we saw last week,
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 Moses is standing outside the tabernacle.
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 God has taken up residence in his dwelling, the tabernacle,
00:03:41 --> 00:03:46 but there is no way yet that he's open for humanity to approach him,
00:03:46 --> 00:03:50 much less to have any relationship or fellowship with him.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 And so how does one get inside?
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 How does one get back into paradise with God?
00:03:57 --> 00:04:02 God, what's missing from this new creation,
00:04:03 --> 00:04:04 this tabernacle which symbolized new creation,
00:04:05 --> 00:04:09 what's missing from it is the pinnacle of the first creation.
00:04:10 --> 00:04:10 People.
00:04:11 --> 00:04:12 People aren't there.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 And God intends to solve that problem.
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 And we saw that right at the beginning of Leviticus
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 when God speaks to Moses
00:04:21 --> 00:04:22 and he says,
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 when an Adam among you brings an offering.
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 Now that's the crisis that sets up the beginning of Leviticus.
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 And the first ten chapters
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 addresses this crisis
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 of how the tabernacle,
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 the dwelling place of God,
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 the tabernacle as it's called in in Exodus,
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 becomes the tent of meeting,
00:04:46 --> 00:04:50 which is what it's called at the beginning of Leviticus.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 These chapters are about how the dwelling of God
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 becomes the tent where God meets
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 in fellowship with his people.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:01 And this is crucial.
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 This is a crucial point.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:06 Because the covenant relationship
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 that God established with his people
00:05:08 --> 00:05:11 requires far more than just
00:05:11 --> 00:05:14 an awe-inspiring reality of God's presence on earth.
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 Its chief purpose
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 is for humanity to fellowship
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 with its creator.
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 Last week we saw the various sacrifices
00:05:26 --> 00:05:27 that were required of God.
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 Today we are going to focus
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 in chapters 8 to 10
00:05:32 --> 00:05:36 and see that a mediator
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 needs to stand
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 between an infinitely holy God
00:05:40 --> 00:05:44 and finite sinful human beings.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 There needs to be someone in between.
00:05:46 --> 00:05:46 Chapter 8.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 It is Aaron who is set apart,
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 consecrated as a high priest.
00:05:51 --> 00:05:52 He's ordained as a high priest.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 Aaron and his descendants
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 are to play the role
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 of the new Adam
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 in this new creation,
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02 in this tabernacle drama
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 of system of worship.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:06 Aaron will be the mediator
00:06:06 --> 00:06:07 between God and his people.
00:06:08 --> 00:06:09 He is the link
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 that turns the tabernacle
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 into the tent of meeting.
00:06:14 --> 00:06:15 The link that mediates
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 fellowship between Israel
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 and the God
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 of heaven and earth.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 Now I think
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 as we think about the idea of mediator,
00:06:26 --> 00:06:27 it's really important for us
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 to grapple with this.
00:06:30 --> 00:06:30 You see,
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 one principle
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 of professional mediation
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 is the assumption
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 that the mediator
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 is an independent
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 individual
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 whose goal it is
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 to achieve
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 a mutually satisfying
00:06:46 --> 00:06:46 outcome
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47 for two
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 parties
00:06:49 --> 00:06:49 which are having
00:06:49 --> 00:06:50 biffo with one another.
00:06:52 --> 00:06:52 And if we think
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 of Israel's priests
00:06:54 --> 00:06:55 as a literal mediator
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 in the modern sense,
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 we will get
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 the wrong impression.
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 The chief role
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 of priestly mediation
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 was not between
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 two aggrieved persons
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 but with only
00:07:10 --> 00:07:10 one
00:07:10 --> 00:07:11 offended
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 party.
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 God alone
00:07:15 --> 00:07:15 had the right
00:07:15 --> 00:07:16 to be offended
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 by the disobedience
00:07:17 --> 00:07:18 of his people.
00:07:18 --> 00:07:19 God was faithful,
00:07:19 --> 00:07:19 he was loyal
00:07:19 --> 00:07:20 to his people
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 but they were not
00:07:21 --> 00:07:22 loyal to him.
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 And what's more,
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 the priestly mediator
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 was himself
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 a sinner
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 and required
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 a resolution
00:07:31 --> 00:07:32 to his own
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33 offense
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 against God
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 before he could
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 represent the
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 Israelite individual
00:07:40 --> 00:07:40 or in fact
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 the nation
00:07:41 --> 00:07:43 before God.
00:07:44 --> 00:07:44 And so this
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 priestly mediator
00:07:46 --> 00:07:46 was not to
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 seek a compromise,
00:07:50 --> 00:07:50 he was not to
00:07:50 --> 00:07:51 enter into
00:07:51 --> 00:07:52 negotiations
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 and try and
00:07:53 --> 00:07:53 nudge God
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 a little bit this way
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 a little bit that way.
00:07:56 --> 00:07:56 There's no
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 two way street here.
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 There was no
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 negotiations to be
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 sorted out.
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 As we say today,
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 it was God's way
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 or the highway.
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 Now at first glance
00:08:11 --> 00:08:12 that might seem
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 a little bit tough,
00:08:13 --> 00:08:14 a little bit strict,
00:08:14 --> 00:08:14 you know,
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 God demanding
00:08:15 --> 00:08:16 complete compliance.
00:08:16 --> 00:08:16 I mean,
00:08:16 --> 00:08:16 you know,
00:08:16 --> 00:08:17 what if we,
00:08:18 --> 00:08:18 you ought to have
00:08:18 --> 00:08:18 a little bit of
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 negotiation here.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 What if we just
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 negotiate a little bit
00:08:22 --> 00:08:23 and maybe 90%
00:08:23 --> 00:08:23 might do?
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 God says,
00:08:26 --> 00:08:26 no,
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 it's his way
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 or the highway.
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 The most notable
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 phrase which is
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 attached to the
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 activities of
00:08:34 --> 00:08:34 chapters 8 and 9
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 is the phrase,
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 just as the
00:08:38 --> 00:08:39 Lord commanded.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 God expected
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 his word
00:08:42 --> 00:08:42 to be
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 obeyed
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 just as he did
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 in the Garden of Eden.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:47 And yet,
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 from our modern
00:08:48 --> 00:08:48 sense,
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 we approach that
00:08:50 --> 00:08:50 and we go,
00:08:50 --> 00:08:50 you know,
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 let's find a middle
00:08:51 --> 00:08:52 ground here.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 Wouldn't it be
00:08:53 --> 00:08:54 a bit more reasonable,
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 maybe even loving
00:08:55 --> 00:08:55 of God,
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 if God wasn't
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 so uptight
00:08:58 --> 00:08:58 on complete
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 obedience?
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 Maybe a little,
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 he's a bit too
00:09:03 --> 00:09:03 rigid here.
00:09:04 --> 00:09:05 Maybe we could
00:09:05 --> 00:09:05 just negotiate
00:09:05 --> 00:09:06 with God.
00:09:06 --> 00:09:06 I remember
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 many years ago
00:09:08 --> 00:09:08 sitting,
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 talking to a person
00:09:09 --> 00:09:09 about the Christian
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 faith and I said,
00:09:10 --> 00:09:10 so,
00:09:11 --> 00:09:11 you know,
00:09:11 --> 00:09:11 what would happen
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 if God all of a
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 sudden appeared to
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 you and stuff like
00:09:14 --> 00:09:14 that or you
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 died now,
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 went to front God
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 and he said,
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 well,
00:09:19 --> 00:09:19 you know,
00:09:19 --> 00:09:20 I'd take a six-pack
00:09:20 --> 00:09:20 with me.
00:09:21 --> 00:09:21 And he said,
00:09:21 --> 00:09:22 we'd go out
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 back door of heaven
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 there somewhere,
00:09:24 --> 00:09:24 sit on the step
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 and we'd have a few
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 beers and we'll
00:09:27 --> 00:09:27 negotiate.
00:09:28 --> 00:09:28 He said,
00:09:28 --> 00:09:29 it'll all be fine.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:30 It'll all be fine.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:37 You see,
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 what we're going to see
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 is that the tabernacle,
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 its sacrifices,
00:09:41 --> 00:09:41 the priests,
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 were in fact
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 God's gracious
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 bending
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 towards sinful
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 men and women.
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 You see,
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 without this provision,
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 the provision
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 that God initiated,
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 without this provision,
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 they would have
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 faced the consequences
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 of unforgiven sins,
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 permanently cut off
00:10:00 --> 00:10:00 from God
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 and the blessing
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 of his presence
00:10:04 --> 00:10:04 forever.
00:10:07 --> 00:10:08 And so,
00:10:08 --> 00:10:08 in chapter 8,
00:10:09 --> 00:10:09 we have the ordination
00:10:09 --> 00:10:10 of Aaron
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 and his sons
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 as priests.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 These are the new
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 Adams in this
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 new paradise
00:10:16 --> 00:10:16 sacrifice.
00:10:17 --> 00:10:17 And what we see
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 here is this
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 elaborate process.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:21 There's robes
00:10:21 --> 00:10:22 and sacrifices.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:23 And it lasted
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 about a week
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 while they camped
00:10:25 --> 00:10:26 in the grounds,
00:10:26 --> 00:10:27 the courts
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 of the tent
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 of meeting.
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 Back in 1997,
00:10:33 --> 00:10:33 December 1997,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:34 I think it was
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 December sometime
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 in 1997,
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 I got ordained
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 as a deacon
00:10:38 --> 00:10:38 in the Anglican Church.
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 I was ordained,
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 I was set apart
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 for ministry
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 in the worldwide
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 Anglican Church.
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 And so,
00:10:46 --> 00:10:46 it's an ordination
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 process.
00:10:47 --> 00:10:47 My ordination
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 process took
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 about an hour
00:10:49 --> 00:10:49 and a quarter,
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 something like that.
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 And I didn't
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 have elaborate robes.
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 I had these things
00:10:55 --> 00:10:55 that I had to wear.
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 And they're nice,
00:11:00 --> 00:11:00 aren't they?
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 And the most
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 significant thing
00:11:03 --> 00:11:04 of this
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 is this thing here,
00:11:06 --> 00:11:06 in my opinion.
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 This thing here.
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 This symbolizes,
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 this is called
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 a preaching scarf.
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 This symbolizes
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 my chief duty.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 The thing that
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 I was set apart
00:11:17 --> 00:11:17 for was to bring
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 the word of God
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 to God's people,
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 to his creation,
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 to continually proclaim
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 the gospel everywhere.
00:11:24 --> 00:11:24 And so,
00:11:24 --> 00:11:24 in my ordination,
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 I wore this thing.
00:11:26 --> 00:11:26 Now,
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 in my ordination service,
00:11:28 --> 00:11:28 and I'm pretty sure
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 this didn't happen to Aaron,
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 but it happened to me.
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 I was,
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 what I had to do was,
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 I wore this garb on,
00:11:33 --> 00:11:33 and I'm not used
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 to wearing dresses,
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 not before and not since.
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 And I wasn't used
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 to wearing this.
00:11:40 --> 00:11:40 And what happened was,
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 you had to kneel
00:11:41 --> 00:11:41 before the bishop,
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 the bishop lays his hands
00:11:43 --> 00:11:43 on you,
00:11:43 --> 00:11:43 he prays for you,
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 and sets you apart
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 for ministry
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 within the Anglican Church.
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 And as I came
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 and knelt before the bishop,
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 what I didn't realize
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 was that I'd actually
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 stepped on the bottom
00:11:52 --> 00:11:52 of these things,
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 and I knelt down.
00:11:54 --> 00:11:54 And when I went
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 to get up,
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 I went bang,
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 and I went forward,
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 and I landed
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 in the bishop's lap.
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 He wasn't sure
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 whether to lay hands
00:12:04 --> 00:12:04 on me again
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 at that point
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 or what to do.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 I was terribly embarrassed
00:12:09 --> 00:12:09 because I'm like,
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 I can't,
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 I sort of had to grab hold
00:12:12 --> 00:12:12 of him in order
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 to get my feet
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 off these things.
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 And it was incredibly
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 embarrassing.
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 The bishop didn't know
00:12:19 --> 00:12:19 what to do,
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 but the archdeacon
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 over the side here
00:12:21 --> 00:12:21 who was leading the service
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 was killing himself laughing.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 He thought it was
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 the funniest thing
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 he'd seen at ordination service.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 Now that didn't happen,
00:12:27 --> 00:12:27 Aaron,
00:12:28 --> 00:12:28 from what I could tell
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 from the text here.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 And he was being,
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 he had a slightly
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 different job
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 than I have here,
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 but he had a very,
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 very significant role.
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 He was,
00:12:39 --> 00:12:39 as I said,
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 the new Adam
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 coming into this paradise.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 And up until this point,
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 Moses had been the mediator
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 between God and his people.
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 And now the role
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 of the high priest
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 will become
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 the most significant
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 relationship
00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 in God relating
00:12:58 --> 00:12:58 to his people.
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 In chapter 10,
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 God,
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 for the first time,
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 starts speaking
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 directly to Aaron.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 It is a significant honor.
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 And all the expectations
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 of the ordination service
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 in chapter 8
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 and the very first
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 worship service
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 in the tabernacle
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 in chapter 9
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 is expressed
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 in chapter 9,
00:13:22 --> 00:13:22 verse 4.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 It says,
00:13:24 --> 00:13:24 For today,
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 the Lord will appear
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 to you.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 You see,
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 they knew the cloud
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 had descended
00:13:33 --> 00:13:33 on the tabernacle.
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 What they hadn't seen,
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 they hadn't seen
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 the glory of God.
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 They hadn't come
00:13:39 --> 00:13:39 face to face
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 with God.
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 That's the expectation
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 here.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 This is the opportunity
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 that God gives for,
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 this is the way forward
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 for people to come
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 into his paradise
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 sacrifice.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 And the climax
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 of the ordination service
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 and the first worship service
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 is,
00:13:58 --> 00:13:58 and in fact,
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 the climax
00:13:59 --> 00:13:59 of the first
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 nine chapters
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 of Leviticus
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 is there
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 in verse 22
00:14:05 --> 00:14:05 of chapter 9.
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 Aaron lifted his hands
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 towards the people
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 and blessed them.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 And having sacrificed
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 the sin offering,
00:14:11 --> 00:14:11 the burnt offering,
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 the fellowship offering,
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 that is,
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 he did all the offerings
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 he was required,
00:14:14 --> 00:14:14 he stepped down.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 Moses and Aaron
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 then went into
00:14:17 --> 00:14:19 the tent of meeting
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 and when they came out,
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 they blessed the people
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 and the glory of the Lord
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 appeared to all the people.
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 Fire came out
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 from the presence
00:14:26 --> 00:14:26 of the Lord
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 and consumed the burnt offering
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 and the fat portions
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 on the altar.
00:14:30 --> 00:14:30 And when all the people
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 saw it,
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 they shouted for joy
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 and they fell
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 face down.
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 Let me tell you,
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 we read those verses
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 really quickly,
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 but it is very,
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 very difficult.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:42 In fact,
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 I want to say
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 it's impossible for me
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 to overstate the wonder
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 of what's just happened there.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 The crisis
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 which is there
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 at the end of Exodus
00:14:52 --> 00:14:55 has now been resolved
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 as two human beings
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 are allowed
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 into the very presence
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 of God
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 for the first time
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 since the flood.
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 First time
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 since the flood.
00:15:07 --> 00:15:07 Fellowship
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 has been restored.
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 And notice three things.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 Firstly,
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 that entering
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 into the presence
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 of God
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 is allowed only
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 after the sacrifices
00:15:16 --> 00:15:18 have been performed.
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 Sacrifices first.
00:15:20 --> 00:15:20 Secondly,
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 notice that
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 this is a corporate experience.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 The phrase
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 the people
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 occurs four times
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 from verse 22
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 to the end
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 of that chapter.
00:15:32 --> 00:15:34 While Marozos and Aaron
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 are given entry
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 into God's presence,
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 the purpose
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 of them being given
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 entry into God's presence
00:15:40 --> 00:15:42 is for the sake
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 of the people.
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 Their entrance
00:15:45 --> 00:15:45 means that
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 all the people
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 get to see
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 the glory
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 of God.
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 And thirdly,
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 as a result
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 of approaching
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 God
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 in accordance
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 to His word,
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 God's glory
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 is revealed
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 and the response
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 of the people
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 is joy.
00:16:01 --> 00:16:04 This is the moment
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 they've been waiting
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 for for so long
00:16:06 --> 00:16:09 and it's met
00:16:09 --> 00:16:09 with the most
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 fitting response.
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 They shout for joy
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 and they fell
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 on their faces.
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 That's the goal
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 of the tabernacle.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:18 That's the goal
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 of the tent
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 of meeting.
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 God's glory
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 being revealed
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 and people
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 responding
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 in appropriate
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 joy,
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 praise
00:16:27 --> 00:16:30 and humble
00:16:30 --> 00:16:30 praise.
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 So,
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 it was difficult
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 for me to overstate
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 the,
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 this being,
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 just how much
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 euphoria and joy
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 there would be
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 at this moment.
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 And it's also
00:16:47 --> 00:16:47 incredibly hard
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 for me to overstate
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 the crisis
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 that immediately
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 followed.
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 One crisis
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 is resolved
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 and another one
00:16:55 --> 00:16:55 has begun.
00:16:55 --> 00:17:00 they go
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 from ecstasy
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 to agony.
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 You see,
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 like their father
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 who was high priest,
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 Nadab and Abihu
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 were also priests.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 And we read
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 in chapter 10,
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 the very first verse,
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 Aaron's sons,
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 Nadab and Abihu
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 took their senses,
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 put fire in them,
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 they added incense
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21 and they offered
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 unauthorized fire
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 before the Lord
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 contrary to his
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 command.
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 God.
00:17:28 --> 00:17:28 It's,
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 it's incredibly
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 puzzling to know
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 why these guys
00:17:31 --> 00:17:31 did this.
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 These guys
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 had a privileged
00:17:34 --> 00:17:34 upbringing.
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 They witnessed
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 God's revelation
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 of himself
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 to Israel
00:17:39 --> 00:17:39 through,
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 if you like,
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 ringside seats,
00:17:42 --> 00:17:42 front and center,
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 you know,
00:17:44 --> 00:17:44 box seats,
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 A-grade box seats.
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 They had been
00:17:48 --> 00:17:48 among the select
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 group that approached
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 Mount Sinai.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:51 When Moses went up
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 to speak with God,
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 they had spent
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 a week communion
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 with God
00:17:55 --> 00:17:55 and preparing
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 for his service
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 in the,
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 in the tabernacle
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 courts.
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 They had seen
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 the fire
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 come out
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 from the Holy of Holies,
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 the most holy place
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 with their very own eyes.
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 You see,
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 these guys are not
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 rookies.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 They're not,
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 you know,
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 they're not,
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 teenagers,
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 you know,
00:18:15 --> 00:18:15 in the service.
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 They're not brand new.
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 They're not just
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 straight out of college
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 kind of stuff.
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 Perhaps they were
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 carried away
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 by all the excitement.
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 They wanted the experience
00:18:27 --> 00:18:27 to continue,
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 so they attempted
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 to duplicate
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 the experience
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 of duplicating
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 the glory of God
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 by revealing
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 God's fire,
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 which inevitably
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 they actually did.
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 perhaps they might
00:18:38 --> 00:18:38 have been
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 a little bit tipsy.
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 The excitement
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 and the euphoria
00:18:41 --> 00:18:41 of the moment
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 led them to
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 drink a little bit
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 too much communion wine.
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 I don't know.
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 I mean,
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 verse 8 of chapter 10,
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 so the very next time
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 that God speaks,
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 He says,
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 don't drink wine
00:18:52 --> 00:18:52 when you come
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 into my presence,
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 so maybe they'd
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 had a bit too much.
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 Whatever they were thinking,
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 it seems that they believed
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 that the specific command
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 to present the offerings
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 in a precise way
00:19:05 --> 00:19:08 that were prescribed
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 by the Lord
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11 were not necessary
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 to follow
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 in this moment.
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 What they offered
00:19:15 --> 00:19:18 was referred to
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 by Moses
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 as contrary
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 to God's command.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 Nadab and Abihu
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 decided to approach
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 the Lord
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 on their terms,
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 their way.
00:19:29 --> 00:19:32 And the Lord
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 even warns Aaron,
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 the high priest,
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 the holiest man
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 in the land,
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 that he cannot
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 enter God's presence
00:19:38 --> 00:19:40 whenever he likes,
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42 however he wants to.
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 A friend of mine
00:19:44 --> 00:19:44 works,
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 in fact,
00:19:46 --> 00:19:46 did work
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 for a large
00:19:47 --> 00:19:49 multinational corporation.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 He was the head
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 of a team.
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 One of his teams
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 was a bit of a problem
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 to deal with
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 that he led
00:19:55 --> 00:19:57 and he discovered
00:19:57 --> 00:19:59 that this team member
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 one day.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 Instead of reporting
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 an issue
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 with him directly,
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 he went over him
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 and went over his report
00:20:08 --> 00:20:10 and went over him
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 and knocked on the door
00:20:11 --> 00:20:14 of the CEO
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 of this large,
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 we're talking thousands
00:20:17 --> 00:20:17 of employees
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 in this company,
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 thousands of employees,
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 knocked on the door
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 of the CEO.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 The CEO
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 opens the door,
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 says,
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 come on in,
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 and sat down.
00:20:26 --> 00:20:26 This guy made
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 his complaint
00:20:27 --> 00:20:30 and the CEO
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 took a bunch of notes,
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 who do you report to,
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 wrote it all down
00:20:33 --> 00:20:37 and then he said,
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 I'll stop you there.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 He said,
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 we have a system
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 in place
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 that you haven't followed.
00:20:44 --> 00:20:46 How dare you
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 knock on my door
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 and come to me
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 with a complaint
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 like this,
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 jumping over
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 all of our systems.
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55 You have ignored
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 the way
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 to approach
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 the CEO,
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 if you like.
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 He was marched
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 out of the office.
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 My mate found out
00:21:03 --> 00:21:03 about this
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 because he got
00:21:04 --> 00:21:04 a phone call
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 from the CEO
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 immediately
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 and said,
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 this bloke
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 on your team?
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 Yep, he does.
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 I want him gone
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 in three months.
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 Out of here
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 in three months.
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 You cannot
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 approach God
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 any way you like.
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 So verse 2,
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 fire came out
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 for the presence
00:21:24 --> 00:21:24 of the Lord
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 and consumed them
00:21:25 --> 00:21:27 and they died
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 before the Lord.
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 You see,
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 the fire
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 that had generated
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 such joy
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 and such blessing
00:21:33 --> 00:21:36 for the people
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 just moments ago
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 was now
00:21:38 --> 00:21:38 a source
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 of death
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 and fear.
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 And the tragedy
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 of this whole affair
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 is in verse 4,
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 Moses summoned
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 Mishael
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 and Eliphaz,
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 that guy,
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 sons of Aaron's
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 uncle,
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 Uziel,
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 and said to them,
00:21:52 --> 00:21:52 come here,
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 carry your cousins
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 outside the camp
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 away from the front
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 of the sanctuary.
00:21:57 --> 00:21:57 And so they came
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 and carried them
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 still in their tunics
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 outside the camp
00:22:00 --> 00:22:02 as Moses ordered.
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 Nadab and Abihu
00:22:04 --> 00:22:04 were cut off
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 from God
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 in the most dramatic way
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 and now they're removed
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 from the presence
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 of God,
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 even removed
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 from the presence
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 of his people.
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 What we're meant
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 to see here
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 is that Nadab
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 and Abihu
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 are in fact
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 thrown out
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 of paradise
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 again
00:22:19 --> 00:22:21 just as Adam
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 and Eve were
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 when they disobeyed
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 God's word.
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 And so what we're
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 left with here
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 is this is
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 a moment of euphoria
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 and so
00:22:28 --> 00:22:31 has God's plans
00:22:31 --> 00:22:33 of how people
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 will approach him,
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 has it failed?
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 Has this whole
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 sacrificial system,
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 the way that God
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 has constructed
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 for people
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 to have fellowship
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 with him,
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 that people might
00:22:42 --> 00:22:44 see his glory,
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 that people might
00:22:44 --> 00:22:46 be at one-ment
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 with him,
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 have atonement,
00:22:48 --> 00:22:50 has it failed?
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 Is the human race
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 forever doomed
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 now from this moment
00:22:54 --> 00:22:56 to be in a situation
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 that Nadab
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 and Abihu
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 are currently in,
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 dead,
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 out of the presence
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 of God,
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 forever?
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 We saw last week
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 that the sacrifices
00:23:07 --> 00:23:10 were insufficient
00:23:10 --> 00:23:15 and now the mediators
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 we see,
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 the priests themselves
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 are flawed.
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 I mentioned last week
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 that Leviticus
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 is a blueprint
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 of something
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 that's greater to come
00:23:23 --> 00:23:25 and when you've got
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 something that's greater
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 you don't need
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 the blueprint anymore.
00:23:27 --> 00:23:29 God's disclosure
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 of himself
00:23:30 --> 00:23:32 to his people
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 has its fullest expression
00:23:33 --> 00:23:33 in the person
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 of the Lord Jesus.
00:23:35 --> 00:23:35 We see this
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 as the beginning
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 of the New Testament.
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 If you go to the beginning
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 of his biography
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 on the life of Jesus,
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 John makes an incredible claim.
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 He says,
00:23:44 --> 00:23:44 in the beginning
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 was the Word.
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 That is,
00:23:45 --> 00:23:47 this Word existed
00:23:47 --> 00:23:49 before anything was made
00:23:49 --> 00:23:51 and the Word was with God
00:23:51 --> 00:23:55 and the Word was God.
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 He was with God
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 in the beginning
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 and through Him,
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 that's through the Word,
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 all things were made.
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 Without Him,
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 nothing was made
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 that has been made.
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 That is,
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 this Word
00:24:05 --> 00:24:07 who existed before time
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 is God
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 and He is the Creator,
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 the Maker
00:24:10 --> 00:24:10 of the heaven and earth.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 And then down
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 in verse 14,
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 we see something
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 startling about
00:24:16 --> 00:24:18 this Word of God
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 who is God,
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 who is the Creator
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 of heaven and earth.
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 It says,
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 this Word
00:24:22 --> 00:24:24 became flesh
00:24:24 --> 00:24:26 and made His dwelling
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 amongst us.
00:24:27 --> 00:24:29 And the Word dwelling
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 there
00:24:29 --> 00:24:31 is quite literally
00:24:31 --> 00:24:33 the Word
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 tabernacled
00:24:34 --> 00:24:36 amongst us.
00:24:36 --> 00:24:38 God came
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 and tabernacled
00:24:39 --> 00:24:41 amongst His people.
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 The God
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 who reveals Himself
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 decided to come
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 into His world
00:24:46 --> 00:24:48 to reveal His glory
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 in all its splendor,
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 tabernacled amongst us,
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 dwelt amongst us.
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 He turned up.
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 And it says there,
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 a little bit further on,
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 we have seen His glory,
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 the glory of the one
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 and only
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 who came from the Father,
00:25:03 --> 00:25:05 full of grace and truth.
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 And you ask yourself
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 the question,
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 who is this Word
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 who is God
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 who existed before creation,
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 who created everything,
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 who came and dwelled
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 amongst us
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 and is full of grace
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 and truth,
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 who reveals the majesty
00:25:17 --> 00:25:19 and splendor of God?
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 And verse 16
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 of John 1 tells us,
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 from the fullness
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 of His grace,
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 we have all received
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 one blessing from another.
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 For the law
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 was given through Moses,
00:25:31 --> 00:25:33 but grace and truth
00:25:33 --> 00:25:35 came through Jesus Christ.
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 You see,
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 the big issue of Leviticus
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 is how is it possible
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 for a human being
00:25:42 --> 00:25:45 to be in the presence of God?
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 And here we are told
00:25:47 --> 00:25:49 that the Creator God
00:25:49 --> 00:25:51 became a human being
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 to come into our presence,
00:25:53 --> 00:25:55 to dwell amongst us.
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 And it says that
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 we see His glory,
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 which means that
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 when Jesus arrived,
00:26:00 --> 00:26:02 God's character
00:26:02 --> 00:26:04 was on full display
00:26:04 --> 00:26:06 for the world to see.
00:26:07 --> 00:26:09 That's what John 1 says.
00:26:09 --> 00:26:11 He came to His own
00:26:11 --> 00:26:13 to reveal the presence,
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 to reveal the character
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 and the glory of God,
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 but they rejected Him.
00:26:17 --> 00:26:21 What John 1 says
00:26:21 --> 00:26:25 is the transcendent God,
00:26:25 --> 00:26:27 the one who dwells
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 in invisible light
00:26:29 --> 00:26:32 has made Himself known,
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 become visible.
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 And then we see
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 in verse 12 of John 1
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 that those who believe
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 in His name,
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 that it's the name of Christ,
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 He gave the right
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 to become children of God.
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 You see,
00:26:41 --> 00:26:43 not only does God come
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 and tabernacle,
00:26:44 --> 00:26:46 not only does Jesus
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 become the tabernacle
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 with His people,
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 but He opens up the way
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 for intimate relations
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 that we might become
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 children of God.
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 And how does He do that?
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 Well, Leviticus,
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 sorry, Hebrews 7
00:26:56 --> 00:26:58 explains it
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 in the language
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 of Leviticus.
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 It says,
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 Now there have been
00:27:01 --> 00:27:03 many of those priests
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 and since death
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 prevented them
00:27:05 --> 00:27:07 from continuing in office,
00:27:07 --> 00:27:09 but because Jesus
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 lives forever,
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 He is a permanent priesthood.
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 Therefore,
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 He is able to save
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 completely
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 those who come
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 to God through Him
00:27:18 --> 00:27:21 because He always lives
00:27:21 --> 00:27:23 to intercede for them.
00:27:23 --> 00:27:25 Such a high priest
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 truly meets our needs,
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 one who is holy,
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 blameless,
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 pure,
00:27:30 --> 00:27:32 set apart from sinners,
00:27:32 --> 00:27:35 exalted above the heavens.
00:27:36 --> 00:27:38 So Jesus is the tabernacle,
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 the place where God dwells,
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 the place of meeting.
00:27:43 --> 00:27:45 He is the perfect high priest.
00:27:46 --> 00:27:48 He is not flawed
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 like the other priests.
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 He lived the life
00:27:50 --> 00:27:52 of perfect obedience
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 to His Father.
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 And what's more,
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 it says there
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 that He's a high priest
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 who's still alive.
00:27:56 --> 00:27:58 He's not dead like the rest.
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 He has a permanent priesthood
00:27:59 --> 00:28:01 offering as a mediator
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 between us and God
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 forever.
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 And unlike,
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 it keeps going on
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 in Hebrews,
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 it says,
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 unlike the other high priest
00:28:09 --> 00:28:11 who He does not need
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 to offer sacrifices
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 day after day,
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 first for His own sins
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 and then for the sins
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 of His people,
00:28:17 --> 00:28:19 He sacrificed
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 for their sins
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 once and for all
00:28:21 --> 00:28:23 when He offered Himself.
00:28:24 --> 00:28:27 So He's the tabernacle
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 set up as the place
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 where the sacrifices
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 are met,
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 where the mediator
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 would go in.
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 He's the mediator
00:28:32 --> 00:28:35 who offers the sacrifices
00:28:35 --> 00:28:37 and He is the sacrifice Himself.
00:28:41 --> 00:28:43 He offers the perfect sacrifices,
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 the perfect priest.
00:28:45 --> 00:28:47 The contrast is significant.
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 Under the old covenant,
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 the priest would slaughter
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 an animal,
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 would sprinkle its blood,
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 he'd be required
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 to do it again
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 and again
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 and again
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 and again
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 and again.
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 In fact,
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 to symbolize
00:29:00 --> 00:29:02 the never-ending nature
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 of the work
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 of the priest
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 in the old covenant,
00:29:05 --> 00:29:07 if you look
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 at the construction blueprints
00:29:08 --> 00:29:10 for the tabernacle,
00:29:10 --> 00:29:12 there were no seats
00:29:12 --> 00:29:14 in the tabernacle.
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 That is,
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 the priest was not meant
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 to sit down.
00:29:19 --> 00:29:19 They were never
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 to have rest
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 from their work.
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 It was to happen
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 again and again
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 and bungee on
00:29:24 --> 00:29:24 and bungee off
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 and fly in and fly out
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 and just again
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 and again
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 and again
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 and again.
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 However,
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 Jesus offered Himself
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 as a sacrifice.
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 He took His own blood
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 in the very presence of God.
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 the heavenly sanctuary
00:29:35 --> 00:29:37 and He did it
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 once for all
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 and then it says,
00:29:39 --> 00:29:41 He sat down
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 at the right hand
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 of the throne
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 of the majesty
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 in heaven.
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 The job's done.
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 Nat and I
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 have just ended
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 a new phase of life.
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 For the first time
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 in nine years,
00:29:54 --> 00:29:57 we get a day off together,
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 actually it's six hours,
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 with our kids.
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 All of our kids
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 are now at school
00:30:01 --> 00:30:03 and so a lot has changed,
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 we've noticed,
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 since kids arrived
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 and one of the things,
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 it's not just sleeplessness,
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 that's one thing,
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 but one thing
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 that particularly notice
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 is the inability
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 for us to have
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 an ordered house
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 for any longer
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 than 20 minutes.
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 That's one thing
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 we've noticed.
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 With kids,
00:30:17 --> 00:30:19 cleaning becomes
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 a meaningless,
00:30:20 --> 00:30:22 repetitive task.
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 The house
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 never remains clean
00:30:24 --> 00:30:26 for any length of time.
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 I'm astounded
00:30:27 --> 00:30:30 that you get
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 how quickly
00:30:31 --> 00:30:33 toothpaste ends up
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 on the vanity mirror,
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 even when teeth
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 haven't been cleaned.
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 I don't get it.
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 I really don't get it.
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 You wash everything
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 in the laundry pile
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 and you'll still discover
00:30:42 --> 00:30:44 clothing on a shelf,
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 there'll be some
00:30:46 --> 00:30:46 in the backyard,
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 even in the fridge.
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 I mean,
00:30:48 --> 00:30:48 it's,
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 go figure.
00:30:50 --> 00:30:52 And before those clothes
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 are even dry
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 and packed away,
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 there are more clothes
00:30:55 --> 00:30:55 to wash.
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 That's,
00:30:57 --> 00:30:59 that's what the sacrifice,
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 the Old Testament's like.
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 Never ending.
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 Never ending.
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 No time to sit down
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 and go,
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 oh, it's fine.
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 You read the newspaper.
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 Jesus appeared
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 once for all
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 to do away
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 with the sin
00:31:11 --> 00:31:13 by the sacrifice
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 of himself.
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 We don't have to go
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 through meaningless
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 repetition
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 of ineffective sacrifices.
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 We can trust
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 in Christ's
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 effective sacrifice
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 once and for all,
00:31:22 --> 00:31:22 a sacrifice
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 which does not
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 need repeating
00:31:24 --> 00:31:26 because he did the job
00:31:26 --> 00:31:28 first time.
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 And that's why
00:31:32 --> 00:31:34 Jesus was able to say
00:31:34 --> 00:31:34 a little later
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 in John's Gospel,
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 I am the way,
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 the truth,
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 and the life,
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 and no one comes
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 to the Father
00:31:42 --> 00:31:44 except through me.
00:31:44 --> 00:31:47 There is no basis
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 for acceptance
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 apart from the reality
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 of God
00:31:50 --> 00:31:52 offering himself
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 in Christ
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 as the purging
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 and the reconciling
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 offering
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 for our sins.
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 It means that
00:32:00 --> 00:32:00 all peoples,
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 different ethnicities,
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 languages,
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 and cultures
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 have a common place
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 at the foot of the cross.
00:32:06 --> 00:32:08 There is no other way
00:32:08 --> 00:32:10 to the God
00:32:10 --> 00:32:12 than through Jesus.
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 Now you might be
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 sitting here
00:32:16 --> 00:32:18 tonight thinking
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 this is all nice
00:32:19 --> 00:32:21 but great way,
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 great connections
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 in terms of
00:32:23 --> 00:32:23 how we get to God
00:32:23 --> 00:32:25 but why would I
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 want to meet with God?
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 I think that
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 if you listen
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 to the secular press
00:32:33 --> 00:32:33 that seems to be
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 a more popular option
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 nowadays.
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 It would be easy
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 to conclude
00:32:37 --> 00:32:39 that our society,
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 that in our society
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 that unbelief
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 is on the march,
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 religion is
00:32:42 --> 00:32:44 in significant decline
00:32:44 --> 00:32:45 and yet
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 belief in God
00:32:46 --> 00:32:48 still makes sense
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 for four out of five
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 people in this world.
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 And there's a whole
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 number of reasons
00:32:53 --> 00:32:55 why that is the case.
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 And one of the
00:32:58 --> 00:33:00 most significant reasons
00:33:00 --> 00:33:03 is that deep down,
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 deep down in the core
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 of our beings,
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 there is this sense
00:33:07 --> 00:33:09 of the transcendent.
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 There's more
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 to this world
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 than this world.
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 A Harvard professor,
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 James Wood,
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 in a New Yorker article
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 titled,
00:33:20 --> 00:33:22 Is That All There Is?
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 tells of a friend
00:33:24 --> 00:33:24 of his
00:33:24 --> 00:33:26 who's an analytical
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 philosopher
00:33:27 --> 00:33:28 and a convinced
00:33:28 --> 00:33:28 atheist
00:33:28 --> 00:33:30 who sometimes
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 wakes up
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 in the middle
00:33:32 --> 00:33:32 of the night
00:33:32 --> 00:33:34 haunted by questions
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 like this.
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 How could it be
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 that this world
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 is the result
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 of an accidental
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 big bang?
00:33:42 --> 00:33:42 How could there be
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 no design,
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 no metaphysical
00:33:44 --> 00:33:45 purpose?
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 How could it be
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 that every life,
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 beginning with my own,
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 my husband's
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 and my child's,
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 and spreading
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 outward
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 wood is
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 cosmically
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 irrelevant?
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 Wood himself
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 is a secular man,
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 an atheist,
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 and yet he admits
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 that as one gets
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 older
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 and parents and peers
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 begin to die
00:34:05 --> 00:34:07 and the obituaries
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 in the newspaper
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 are no longer
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 missives from a
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 far away pace
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 but local letters
00:34:11 --> 00:34:13 and one's own
00:34:13 --> 00:34:14 projects seem
00:34:14 --> 00:34:16 more pointless,
00:34:16 --> 00:34:18 such moments
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 of terror
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 and incomprehension
00:34:20 --> 00:34:22 seem more frequent
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 and more piercing.
00:34:27 --> 00:34:29 I could give you
00:34:29 --> 00:34:30 a long list
00:34:30 --> 00:34:30 of names
00:34:30 --> 00:34:31 of people saying
00:34:31 --> 00:34:33 exactly the same thing,
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 people like Steve Jobs
00:34:34 --> 00:34:36 battling
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 with his own death
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 saying,
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 surely this is not
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 it,
00:34:40 --> 00:34:40 is it?
00:34:43 --> 00:34:43 See,
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 in our secular culture
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 where science
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 and technology
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 trumps faith,
00:34:47 --> 00:34:47 there is a growing
00:34:47 --> 00:34:48 sense of science
00:34:48 --> 00:34:49 and technology
00:34:49 --> 00:34:50 while contributing
00:34:50 --> 00:34:51 a whole lot
00:34:51 --> 00:34:53 can't address
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 the big issues
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 of life.
00:34:55 --> 00:34:56 If everything
00:34:56 --> 00:34:57 has to be
00:34:57 --> 00:34:57 scientific,
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 has to have
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 a scientific
00:35:00 --> 00:35:00 explanation
00:35:00 --> 00:35:01 and proof,
00:35:02 --> 00:35:02 then this
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 not only
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 banishes
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 God
00:35:05 --> 00:35:07 from the world
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 but it also
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 banishes things
00:35:08 --> 00:35:09 like love,
00:35:09 --> 00:35:09 hate,
00:35:10 --> 00:35:10 meaning,
00:35:11 --> 00:35:13 which is
00:35:13 --> 00:35:14 a world
00:35:14 --> 00:35:17 and can I
00:35:17 --> 00:35:17 say
00:35:17 --> 00:35:18 a world
00:35:18 --> 00:35:21 self-evidently
00:35:21 --> 00:35:22 not the world
00:35:22 --> 00:35:23 that we live in.
00:35:25 --> 00:35:26 There must be
00:35:26 --> 00:35:27 something more
00:35:27 --> 00:35:29 and Jesus
00:35:29 --> 00:35:30 made the claim
00:35:30 --> 00:35:30 that he is
00:35:30 --> 00:35:31 the one
00:35:31 --> 00:35:32 who connects
00:35:32 --> 00:35:32 you
00:35:32 --> 00:35:33 with the
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 something more,
00:35:35 --> 00:35:36 with the
00:35:36 --> 00:35:36 heavenly father,
00:35:37 --> 00:35:38 with the maker
00:35:38 --> 00:35:38 of heaven
00:35:38 --> 00:35:39 and earth,
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 the one
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 who has
00:35:39 --> 00:35:40 all of history,
00:35:40 --> 00:35:40 as we just
00:35:40 --> 00:35:41 had a brief
00:35:41 --> 00:35:41 look at tonight,
00:35:42 --> 00:35:43 all of history,
00:35:43 --> 00:35:44 all time and
00:35:44 --> 00:35:44 eternity
00:35:44 --> 00:35:45 in his hands,
00:35:45 --> 00:35:46 the one
00:35:46 --> 00:35:47 who delights
00:35:47 --> 00:35:49 to fellowship
00:35:49 --> 00:35:50 with his creation.
00:35:50 --> 00:35:52 And if you
00:35:52 --> 00:35:53 are sitting here
00:35:53 --> 00:35:53 tonight,
00:35:53 --> 00:35:53 you have that
00:35:53 --> 00:35:54 sense that
00:35:54 --> 00:35:54 something's
00:35:54 --> 00:35:54 missing,
00:35:55 --> 00:35:55 I would
00:35:55 --> 00:35:56 implore you
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 to investigate
00:35:56 --> 00:35:57 Jesus.
00:35:57 --> 00:35:58 You'll be
00:35:58 --> 00:35:58 amazed at
00:35:58 --> 00:35:59 all the
00:35:59 --> 00:35:59 things he
00:35:59 --> 00:35:59 said,
00:35:59 --> 00:36:00 all the
00:36:00 --> 00:36:00 things he
00:36:00 --> 00:36:00 did,
00:36:01 --> 00:36:01 and the
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 perfect life
00:36:02 --> 00:36:03 he lived.
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 Try and
00:36:03 --> 00:36:04 pick up.
00:36:04 --> 00:36:04 Try and
00:36:04 --> 00:36:05 pick holes
00:36:05 --> 00:36:05 in his
00:36:05 --> 00:36:06 life.
00:36:08 --> 00:36:08 Now,
00:36:08 --> 00:36:08 if you're
00:36:08 --> 00:36:09 a Christian
00:36:09 --> 00:36:09 then,
00:36:09 --> 00:36:09 on the
00:36:09 --> 00:36:10 other hand,
00:36:10 --> 00:36:11 and I
00:36:11 --> 00:36:11 want to
00:36:11 --> 00:36:11 mention four
00:36:11 --> 00:36:12 things of
00:36:12 --> 00:36:12 application
00:36:12 --> 00:36:13 here very
00:36:13 --> 00:36:13 briefly.
00:36:14 --> 00:36:14 First,
00:36:14 --> 00:36:15 realize that
00:36:15 --> 00:36:16 Jesus'
00:36:16 --> 00:36:16 sacrifice
00:36:16 --> 00:36:18 cleanses you
00:36:18 --> 00:36:18 through and
00:36:18 --> 00:36:19 through.
00:36:19 --> 00:36:20 This is
00:36:20 --> 00:36:20 not some
00:36:20 --> 00:36:20 sort of
00:36:20 --> 00:36:21 external
00:36:21 --> 00:36:22 washing that
00:36:22 --> 00:36:22 makes you
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 look okay
00:36:23 --> 00:36:23 to the
00:36:23 --> 00:36:23 naked eye.
00:36:24 --> 00:36:24 It is an
00:36:24 --> 00:36:25 internal
00:36:25 --> 00:36:26 washing that
00:36:26 --> 00:36:27 means that
00:36:27 --> 00:36:28 you stand
00:36:28 --> 00:36:30 up clean,
00:36:32 --> 00:36:32 pure,
00:36:33 --> 00:36:36 right under
00:36:36 --> 00:36:36 the all
00:36:36 --> 00:36:38 knowing eye
00:36:38 --> 00:36:39 of God.
00:36:39 --> 00:36:39 When God
00:36:39 --> 00:36:40 himself comes
00:36:40 --> 00:36:41 looking for
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 your sin,
00:36:42 --> 00:36:43 for your
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 blemishes,
00:36:45 --> 00:36:45 he can't
00:36:45 --> 00:36:47 find anything.
00:36:48 --> 00:36:48 It's all
00:36:48 --> 00:36:49 being taken
00:36:49 --> 00:36:49 away.
00:36:51 --> 00:36:51 Secondly,
00:36:53 --> 00:36:54 be thankful.
00:36:56 --> 00:36:56 The best
00:36:56 --> 00:36:57 way to
00:36:57 --> 00:36:57 apply the
00:36:57 --> 00:36:58 truth of
00:36:58 --> 00:36:58 the passage
00:36:58 --> 00:36:59 that we've
00:36:59 --> 00:36:59 seen today
00:36:59 --> 00:37:00 is to go
00:37:00 --> 00:37:00 home,
00:37:00 --> 00:37:01 to sit
00:37:01 --> 00:37:01 down in a
00:37:01 --> 00:37:02 quiet spot
00:37:02 --> 00:37:02 and praise
00:37:02 --> 00:37:03 God for
00:37:03 --> 00:37:03 what he
00:37:03 --> 00:37:03 has done
00:37:03 --> 00:37:04 for you.
00:37:05 --> 00:37:05 At the
00:37:05 --> 00:37:05 end of
00:37:05 --> 00:37:06 Hebrews,
00:37:06 --> 00:37:07 again,
00:37:07 --> 00:37:07 in the
00:37:07 --> 00:37:08 context of
00:37:08 --> 00:37:08 talking about
00:37:08 --> 00:37:08 the sacrifice
00:37:08 --> 00:37:09 of Jesus,
00:37:10 --> 00:37:11 it says
00:37:11 --> 00:37:11 this,
00:37:11 --> 00:37:13 through
00:37:13 --> 00:37:13 Jesus,
00:37:14 --> 00:37:14 therefore,
00:37:14 --> 00:37:15 let us
00:37:15 --> 00:37:15 continually
00:37:15 --> 00:37:17 offer to
00:37:17 --> 00:37:17 God a
00:37:17 --> 00:37:19 sacrifice of
00:37:19 --> 00:37:19 praise,
00:37:20 --> 00:37:21 the fruit of
00:37:21 --> 00:37:21 lips that
00:37:21 --> 00:37:22 openly confess
00:37:22 --> 00:37:23 his name
00:37:23 --> 00:37:24 and do not
00:37:24 --> 00:37:25 forget to do
00:37:25 --> 00:37:25 good and to
00:37:25 --> 00:37:26 share with
00:37:26 --> 00:37:26 others,
00:37:27 --> 00:37:27 for with
00:37:27 --> 00:37:29 such sacrifices
00:37:29 --> 00:37:29 God is
00:37:29 --> 00:37:30 pleased.
00:37:30 --> 00:37:31 What are the
00:37:31 --> 00:37:32 sacrifices God
00:37:32 --> 00:37:32 is pleased with
00:37:32 --> 00:37:33 his people?
00:37:33 --> 00:37:34 The sacrifice of
00:37:34 --> 00:37:35 thanksgiving for
00:37:35 --> 00:37:36 what he's done.
00:37:36 --> 00:37:39 thirdly,
00:37:40 --> 00:37:41 please note
00:37:41 --> 00:37:42 that if you're
00:37:42 --> 00:37:42 in Christ,
00:37:42 --> 00:37:43 you have a
00:37:43 --> 00:37:43 new designation,
00:37:44 --> 00:37:44 you've got a
00:37:44 --> 00:37:45 new role.
00:37:46 --> 00:37:46 It's alluded
00:37:46 --> 00:37:47 to in
00:37:47 --> 00:37:48 Hebrews 13,
00:37:49 --> 00:37:50 but made
00:37:50 --> 00:37:51 explicit in
00:37:51 --> 00:37:52 1 Peter 2
00:37:52 --> 00:37:52 verses 9 and
00:37:52 --> 00:37:53 10,
00:37:53 --> 00:37:53 it says,
00:37:54 --> 00:37:54 but you are a
00:37:54 --> 00:37:55 chosen people,
00:37:56 --> 00:37:57 a royal
00:37:57 --> 00:37:58 priesthood.
00:37:59 --> 00:38:00 If you are
00:38:00 --> 00:38:00 in Christ,
00:38:00 --> 00:38:01 if you're
00:38:01 --> 00:38:01 united to the
00:38:01 --> 00:38:02 perfect priest,
00:38:02 --> 00:38:03 the perfect
00:38:03 --> 00:38:03 mediator,
00:38:03 --> 00:38:04 you too
00:38:04 --> 00:38:05 have become
00:38:05 --> 00:38:06 a priest,
00:38:06 --> 00:38:07 those who
00:38:07 --> 00:38:08 put their
00:38:08 --> 00:38:08 trust in
00:38:08 --> 00:38:09 Jesus are
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 now designated
00:38:09 --> 00:38:10 priests,
00:38:10 --> 00:38:11 so that,
00:38:11 --> 00:38:12 the reason
00:38:12 --> 00:38:12 is,
00:38:12 --> 00:38:13 going on in
00:38:13 --> 00:38:13 1 Peter,
00:38:13 --> 00:38:14 it says,
00:38:14 --> 00:38:14 so that you
00:38:14 --> 00:38:15 may declare
00:38:15 --> 00:38:16 the praises
00:38:16 --> 00:38:17 of him who
00:38:17 --> 00:38:18 called you
00:38:18 --> 00:38:18 out of darkness
00:38:18 --> 00:38:19 into his
00:38:19 --> 00:38:20 wonderful light.
00:38:20 --> 00:38:20 You have
00:38:20 --> 00:38:22 been redeployed
00:38:22 --> 00:38:23 in Christ's
00:38:23 --> 00:38:24 service as a
00:38:24 --> 00:38:26 priest standing
00:38:26 --> 00:38:26 in his presence,
00:38:27 --> 00:38:27 giving praise
00:38:27 --> 00:38:28 to him and
00:38:28 --> 00:38:28 declaring to
00:38:28 --> 00:38:29 the nations
00:38:29 --> 00:38:30 the praise
00:38:30 --> 00:38:32 worthiness of
00:38:32 --> 00:38:32 Christ.
00:38:33 --> 00:38:34 The Christian
00:38:34 --> 00:38:35 church is a
00:38:35 --> 00:38:35 kingdom of
00:38:35 --> 00:38:36 priests.
00:38:36 --> 00:38:38 with Jesus
00:38:38 --> 00:38:38 as their
00:38:38 --> 00:38:39 benevolent ruler
00:38:39 --> 00:38:41 and they're
00:38:41 --> 00:38:41 called to
00:38:41 --> 00:38:43 mediate the
00:38:43 --> 00:38:43 gospel of the
00:38:43 --> 00:38:44 good news of
00:38:44 --> 00:38:46 Christ to
00:38:46 --> 00:38:47 the world
00:38:47 --> 00:38:48 and to each
00:38:48 --> 00:38:49 other.
00:38:49 --> 00:38:49 That's your
00:38:49 --> 00:38:50 role.
00:38:51 --> 00:38:51 That's the
00:38:51 --> 00:38:52 role of the
00:38:52 --> 00:38:52 church, to
00:38:52 --> 00:38:53 mediate this
00:38:53 --> 00:38:55 gospel news to
00:38:55 --> 00:38:55 the world and
00:38:55 --> 00:38:56 to each other.
00:38:57 --> 00:38:58 This is not
00:38:58 --> 00:39:00 just a role
00:39:00 --> 00:39:01 designated for
00:39:01 --> 00:39:02 people like me
00:39:02 --> 00:39:02 who have to
00:39:02 --> 00:39:02 wear funny
00:39:02 --> 00:39:03 dresses occasionally.
00:39:03 --> 00:39:06 every Christian
00:39:06 --> 00:39:06 is called
00:39:06 --> 00:39:07 upon to be a
00:39:07 --> 00:39:08 witness to the
00:39:08 --> 00:39:09 gospel of Jesus
00:39:09 --> 00:39:10 Christ to the
00:39:10 --> 00:39:11 nations, to
00:39:11 --> 00:39:12 declare his
00:39:12 --> 00:39:14 praiseworthiness to
00:39:14 --> 00:39:14 the nations.
00:39:15 --> 00:39:16 Finally,
00:39:17 --> 00:39:19 realize that you
00:39:19 --> 00:39:20 have unlimited
00:39:20 --> 00:39:21 access to the
00:39:21 --> 00:39:22 Father's presence.
00:39:23 --> 00:39:24 What a privilege
00:39:24 --> 00:39:25 that is.
00:39:26 --> 00:39:27 What a privilege
00:39:27 --> 00:39:28 that is.
00:39:28 --> 00:39:31 I mean, what
00:39:31 --> 00:39:32 some of us
00:39:32 --> 00:39:33 wouldn't give to
00:39:33 --> 00:39:33 be able to get
00:39:33 --> 00:39:34 on the end of
00:39:34 --> 00:39:34 the phone to
00:39:34 --> 00:39:35 the most powerful
00:39:35 --> 00:39:36 person in the
00:39:36 --> 00:39:36 world.
00:39:36 --> 00:39:37 I'm not sure it's
00:39:37 --> 00:39:37 Don Trump anymore.
00:39:38 --> 00:39:38 But wouldn't it,
00:39:38 --> 00:39:40 I mean, what we
00:39:40 --> 00:39:41 would give in
00:39:41 --> 00:39:42 order to swing
00:39:42 --> 00:39:43 something our
00:39:43 --> 00:39:43 way.
00:39:46 --> 00:39:47 And what a
00:39:47 --> 00:39:48 privilege it is to
00:39:48 --> 00:39:48 be able to go in
00:39:48 --> 00:39:49 the very presence of
00:39:49 --> 00:39:50 God, the one who
00:39:50 --> 00:39:51 made this world,
00:39:52 --> 00:39:53 and to be able to
00:39:53 --> 00:39:54 do it at any time
00:39:54 --> 00:39:56 and to be able to
00:39:56 --> 00:39:56 call him Father,
00:39:56 --> 00:39:58 I'm your much
00:39:58 --> 00:39:59 loved child,
00:39:59 --> 00:40:00 Father, to be
00:40:00 --> 00:40:00 able to speak to
00:40:00 --> 00:40:01 him.
00:40:02 --> 00:40:02 Now friends, can
00:40:02 --> 00:40:03 I make, can you
00:40:03 --> 00:40:04 make sure that you
00:40:04 --> 00:40:06 that you use that
00:40:06 --> 00:40:07 privilege?
00:40:08 --> 00:40:09 Don't believe the
00:40:09 --> 00:40:10 lie of the devil
00:40:10 --> 00:40:11 that says that
00:40:11 --> 00:40:11 you're not worthy
00:40:11 --> 00:40:12 to go there and
00:40:12 --> 00:40:13 you're not worthy
00:40:13 --> 00:40:13 to call him
00:40:13 --> 00:40:14 Father and he's
00:40:14 --> 00:40:15 not interested in
00:40:15 --> 00:40:15 hearing from you.
00:40:16 --> 00:40:17 And in fact, he's
00:40:17 --> 00:40:18 probably ignoring
00:40:18 --> 00:40:18 your prayer request
00:40:18 --> 00:40:19 anyway.
00:40:20 --> 00:40:21 It's not on the
00:40:21 --> 00:40:23 basis of your
00:40:23 --> 00:40:24 worthiness that you
00:40:24 --> 00:40:25 approach, but on
00:40:25 --> 00:40:26 the basis of
00:40:26 --> 00:40:26 Christ's
00:40:26 --> 00:40:27 worthiness.
00:40:27 --> 00:40:29 In Christ, God
00:40:29 --> 00:40:30 sees you as
00:40:30 --> 00:40:31 perfectly righteous,
00:40:32 --> 00:40:33 as perfectly
00:40:33 --> 00:40:34 obedient to the
00:40:34 --> 00:40:36 covenant, and so
00:40:36 --> 00:40:37 you're always worthy
00:40:37 --> 00:40:38 to approach the
00:40:38 --> 00:40:39 Father through the
00:40:39 --> 00:40:40 Son.
00:40:41 --> 00:40:42 Say, Father,
00:40:43 --> 00:40:46 Father, what a
00:40:46 --> 00:40:46 privilege.
00:40:47 --> 00:40:47 Use it.
00:40:48 --> 00:40:50 Father.
00:40:50 --> 00:40:53 For sale.