Worshiping– Part Three

Hebrews 10:19-23 “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

In our weekly small group Bible Study, it has been a blessing to read the Scriptures that present and tie the Old Testament people, places and things, events and symbols that foreshadowed the Savior of the world in the New Testament, and even the people, places and activities in heaven. That God’s revealed Plan of Salvation through the gospel may be clearly seen and understood for the sinner may come to a “saving” knowledge of Jesus Christ at the foot of the cross, and to the Believer, the child of God, for the growth and maturing of our faith and application in our life, with joyful rejoicing &, grateful thanksgiving, with spiritual assurance & soulful peace in the promises and Devine work of our Lord at this time in history in this world. That Israelite tabernacle pointed to the Lord, to show us that it is He who provides for us, He who sustains us, He who brings the light of truth in our lives, He who intercedes for us, He who hears our prayers, He that is the way to salvation because He who died in our place for our sins to redeem us by His atoning blood, forgave us by His unmerited and undeserved mercy & grace and give us eternal life; He who is worthy of our worship. 

Matthew 27:50-51 “And (from the Cross) Jesus cried out again (Tetelestai – meaning: it is finished; the debt is paid in full) with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked.” Josephus, a Jewish historian, wrote that the veil in the temple was so thick that it took two teams of oxen pulling in opposite directions to tear it. Being torn from top to bottom, demonstrated that it was torn from above by God. The sin that separated us from the presence of our heavenly Father had been atoned for, the partition veil torn down and our direct access to the throne of God to commune in personal relationship restored by the breaking of Christ’s flesh for the Believer. This is what we celebrate at church communion. 1 Corinthians 11:23-24 “The Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Exodus 25:21-22 “You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel. The Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies within the tabernacle is a foreshadow of the throne in heaven where God dwells. The high priest entered the Holy of Holies only one time a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This happened on the tenth day of the seventh month of the Jewish calendar. Leviticus 16:15“He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it. The phrase “Mercy Seat” also means “propitiation.” Jesus, the Lamb of God slain to take away the sins of the world (John1:29), is the atonement accepted by God for us today. His blood was shed to cleanse our sins.

Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” We come to God though Him alone, who paid for our redemption with His own blood. John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” This, also, is what we celebrate at church communion. 1 Corinthians 11:25 ^“In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” Our salvation and restoration is worth remembering and celebrating, knowing from who and how it came about. There is forgiveness for those who believe. Is this good news? Does such a marvelous gospel make us want to worship and praise Him? … to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Romans 12:1“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

In Christ, Brian