1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,720 You are listening to City Church Manchester. We are a church that invites 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:09,780 everyone to enjoy Christ for the glory of God. If we can serve you in any way 3 00:00:09,780 --> 00:00:16,400 then visit our website at citychurchmanchester.org to find out more. 4 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:28,040 Our reading today is going to be from Exodus chapter 30 verse 1 to 10. Make an 5 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:35,200 altar of acacia wood for burning incense. It is to be square, a cubit long and a 6 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:42,680 cubit wide and two cubits high. Its horns of one piece with it. Overlay the top and 7 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:48,680 all the sides and the horns with pure gold and make a gold moulding around it. 8 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:54,480 Make two gold rings for the altar below the moulding, two on each of the opposite 9 00:00:54,480 --> 00:01:01,560 sides to hold the poles used to carry it. Make the poles of acacia wood and 10 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:07,200 overlay them with gold. Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the 11 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:11,820 Ark of the Covenant law before the atonement cover that is over the tablets 12 00:01:11,820 --> 00:01:18,360 of the Covenant law where I will meet with you. Aaron must burn fragrant 13 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:23,920 incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense 14 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:28,000 again when he lights the lamps at twilight so that incense will burn 15 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:33,760 regularly before the Lord for the generations to come. Do not offer on this 16 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:39,080 altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering and do not 17 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:45,600 pour a drink offering on it. Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on 18 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:50,960 its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin 19 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:58,580 offering for generations to come. It is most holy to the Lord. Thank you Florence. 20 00:01:58,580 --> 00:02:04,400 If you keep your Bibles open to Exodus chapter 30 but also 28 and 29 just 21 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:07,120 before that we're going to be through that entire chunk but particularly 22 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:14,000 those 10 verses in Exodus chapter 30 but this sermon is titled The Priest, The 23 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:18,200 Way to Life with God. The way to life with God somewhere that would be 24 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:22,240 wonderful, somewhere that would be warm, somewhere that might make us 25 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:27,320 feel like we belong, somewhere that feels like home. So let me start by asking you 26 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:36,160 have you ever felt completely out of place? Maybe it's a party when you're 27 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:42,780 completely dressed in the wrong dress code or maybe it's when you're coming to 28 00:02:42,780 --> 00:02:45,960 a different country and you're surrounded by people who speak a language 29 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:50,840 that you don't. Or maybe when it's when you come into a church and you don't 30 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:55,840 know quite where to stand or what to do or who to talk to and where to behave. 31 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:00,600 There are so many situations where you don't feel like you can belong. I'll 32 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:04,520 give you an example for me fairly recently, well fairly recently a couple 33 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:09,160 of years ago. So I lived in Newcastle before I came down to Manchester and 34 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:14,400 when I was up in Newcastle for uni my attention and time was spent engaging 35 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:18,680 with God but also flirting with a girl called Claire who was really lovely and 36 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:23,560 so all of my attention was drawn away from football until my friend said to me 37 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:27,800 would you like a spare two tickets to come along to the Newcastle United game? 38 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:32,000 Wonderful! Yes I'd love to come with you. My wife's coming you need to bring yours 39 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:35,720 too. Okay deal so we went along to the Newcastle United game. It's been a while 40 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:39,360 since I've seen a live game but I know how to behave at these games. I know that 41 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:43,040 there's a code of what you need to say, how you do, how you present yourself. 42 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:50,720 I've been there before I know how to belong. My wife hadn't and so we started 43 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:55,160 by, hi mate, great to see you, we're sitting there chatting away and and it 44 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,320 started the game. It's just at the beginning everyone's cheering and in 45 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:02,080 Newcastle they all do this chat where they go tune tune black and white army 46 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:08,080 and Claire is just brilliant and she wants to get involved so she goes tune tune black and white army! 47 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:12,400 So I go like what are you doing? No no no you're southern you can't say that you know 48 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:16,560 no more doing that stop shouting please just just get involved you can watch but 49 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:20,600 no talking please okay good so we carry on watching enjoying the game it's really 50 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,320 good but she's been told to be quiet now but it's Claire she's lovely she's so 51 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:29,320 people-oriented so the game calms down 15 minutes goes no one's scoring it's 52 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,200 getting a bit boring if I'm being honest with you so she turns to her friend and 53 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:38,640 goes so how's life? Tell me a little bit about it. You can't do that either we are watching the game there are 54 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,840 people around here that are twice the size of me I will defend you but I will 55 00:04:41,840 --> 00:04:47,060 lose stop it okay quiet we belong around here so she's now being told you can't 56 00:04:47,060 --> 00:04:50,200 chant you can't talk to your friend you gotta watch the game and she's not 57 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:54,160 enjoying it's kind of boring so she's watching the game 30 minutes into it 58 00:04:54,160 --> 00:05:00,360 it's a bit more boring so she opens her handbag pulls out some yarn and just 59 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:10,220 starts crocheting and as I look around there are two guys who look twice the 60 00:05:10,220 --> 00:05:15,480 size of me with arms as big as my head who are just going and I'm like I do not 61 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:19,280 belong here my wife definitely does not belong here and it was the most awkward 62 00:05:19,280 --> 00:05:23,520 second half of football that I've ever experienced isn't that what we feel 63 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:27,960 sometimes maybe not in a big stadium with lots of people but we feel like we 64 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:32,400 don't belong at different points right and it's it's awkward it makes the hairs 65 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:36,920 on your back stand up it makes you feel tough in fact when I chat with so many 66 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:41,520 of you you'll say is we have 40 different nationalities in this church 67 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:46,320 and as you settle into Manchester so many of you will go I'm not sure if this 68 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:50,640 feels like home yet I'm not sure if I belong in fact it for many of you it 69 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:55,580 takes somewhere between three months and three years for this place to feel like 70 00:05:55,580 --> 00:06:00,160 home for you to feel like you belong and it's not just me at a football game and 71 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:05,560 you may be with settling into church and us together the world tells us that 72 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:10,320 actually finding somewhere safe finding somewhere that feels like home is tough 73 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:14,720 in fact since kovat has happened and people are working from home more the 74 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,520 harvest business review tells us that more and more people are feeling lonely 75 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:22,840 and isolated in their own homes whilst they're working from there because it's 76 00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:27,400 hard to feel like you belong when you're isolated and it's not just them the 77 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:31,200 generation our youngest generation is one that's been described as the most 78 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:37,360 anxious and lonely the Aviva UK health check report found that they all said 79 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:42,640 48% of them that they feel anxious and lonely and one in seven would suffer 80 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:48,840 from some form of mild panic attack we feel lonely we feel alone we struggle to 81 00:06:48,840 --> 00:06:54,280 find where we belong and it's not just the young as well in fact age UK notes 82 00:06:54,280 --> 00:07:00,560 that more than a million people go over a month without speaking to a friend a 83 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:05,680 neighbor or a family member as the NHS website says because it gives guidance 84 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:11,400 on helping people feel connected and together it is shockingly easy to be left 85 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:16,680 feeling alone and vulnerable and that's what all of us feel from time to time 86 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:20,480 isn't it and you might if you look around in the culture think oh I'll join 87 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:25,080 this group I'll get to chat with these types of people or if I if I if this 88 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:29,240 group of friendly people engage with me then maybe I'll feel like I belong maybe 89 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:33,000 I'll feel settled if I tried this job if I do this thing that's the way in which 90 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:38,200 I'm gonna suddenly feel safe and a sense of belonging and it's only the Bible 91 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:44,080 that gives you an answer to your desire to feel safe to feel settled and to 92 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:50,760 belong it's right here we see in Exodus 20 to 30 where the Israelites are 93 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:56,280 looking back they are looking back to the way in which you were made the Bible 94 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:59,160 tells us that we were made to feel like we belong and there was a sense in which 95 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:04,600 that was the case back in perfection when Adam and Eve walked with God in the 96 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:08,760 cool of the day doesn't that sound amazing the idea that you could be with 97 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:12,600 God in paradise walking with him engaging with him in the cool of the day 98 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:16,280 and it sounds like something wonderful and the Bible tells us that we were made 99 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:22,160 for that purpose but we all chose to sin against God as Sam so eloquently puts we 100 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:26,580 tell him to shove off God I'm in charge know to your ways and when we sin in that 101 00:08:26,580 --> 00:08:31,080 way we have been put out of the garden for our actions it has been blocked 102 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:35,520 from us by a cherubim with a with a sword of fire and now we find ourselves 103 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:39,920 wandering around in something that feels like a desert going where do I go how do 104 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:43,880 I feel a sense of belonging where can I feel safe and that is the description 105 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:47,960 that we see from all of those stats around the whole world around us and 106 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:53,400 something that we all feel and what the Israelites in this passage chapters 28 107 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:58,800 to 30 we're feeling right now Chris told us last week God has come down to dwell 108 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:05,080 with the with them and yet because there is a couple of barriers God feels so 109 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:11,400 close yet so far away so we've got three points to answer that question of how do 110 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:14,760 you get a sense of belonging where can you feel safe our points are going to 111 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:19,960 be there's a problem there's a priest and there's a problem our problem our 112 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:24,160 priest and our promise let's go to point number one our problem turn with me to 113 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:30,360 chapter 30 verses 1 to 10 which lists very clearly that we have a significant 114 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:35,840 problem that being that we are incompatible with God the people in 115 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,760 Exodus knew that that there was a significant barrier between them and God 116 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:44,840 because they'd sinned because they chose to reject God and it is shown very 117 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:51,120 clearly in the structure in the architecture of the tabernacle because 118 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,000 if you look at the next picture which just lists out what the tabernacle 119 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:58,680 looks like you've got this entrance going in here with a table of showbread 120 00:09:58,680 --> 00:10:03,320 a golden lampstand but there are two big barriers to you being with God in the 121 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:07,800 Ark of the Covenant one being an altar of incense described over here in the 122 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:13,160 first few verses and in a huge curtain in verse 6 two big barriers which say to 123 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:17,640 Israel I you can't be with God fully you're incompatible there's a barrier 124 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:23,960 there's two the first being an altar of incense and that altar if you read in 125 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:29,320 this passage is constantly billowing out smoke why is it billowing out smoke 126 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:33,200 what's it trying to show us in terms of a barrier of why we can't engage with 127 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:37,480 God well one thing that it's doing is it's saying that there is a barrier that 128 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:41,720 we can't go past so let's think about it back in the day with with COVID again 129 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:45,200 if somebody puts on a mask what they're showing you is there's something 130 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:49,040 dangerous potentially in them or in you we need to shield ourselves from each 131 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:54,560 other and in the same way this smoke is there to say you can't see God face to 132 00:10:54,560 --> 00:10:59,000 face you can't interact with him in a way that is entirely vulnerable like 133 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:02,640 Adam and Eve walking with him in the cool of the day there needs to be some 134 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:07,320 form of a barrier which is why this smoke will billow out 24-7 all the time 135 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:11,040 to keep you away from God in some ways because you are no longer compatible 136 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:16,120 you have sinned you are no longer holy and God in his goodness and his holiness 137 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,760 would burn you up because there's something wrong with us that is a 138 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:24,880 problem that is a big problem but it doesn't just point to the problem in us 139 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:29,360 it points to our longing the other problem out there it points back to Mount 140 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:35,640 Sinai where people were up a mountain but God came down in the cloud of smoke 141 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:42,160 and when he came down he met with his people they were lost they were slaves 142 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:45,760 they were desperate for somebody to care for them and love them and what did God 143 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:50,560 do he met with them in amazing way and so when they see that pillar of smoke 144 00:11:50,560 --> 00:11:54,280 they're going I want to be with God but I can't but what wonderful it is when 145 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:58,120 that happens and that's just one of the barriers the second one that we see in 146 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:03,320 there in verse 6 is a curtain hear me this is not the same type of curtain 147 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:06,640 that you have in your house which might be you know a fine little drape that 148 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,560 you know keeps a little bit of a heat and stuff like that this was nine 149 00:12:09,560 --> 00:12:14,200 centimeters thick and it was solid it's the type of thing that those two big 150 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:17,120 guys that I described from the Newcastle football team they want me to lift it 151 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:22,800 it is massive and it is thick in fact it is something that was felt as solid and 152 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:30,800 along it we read in chapter 26 verse 1 was sewn in pictures of cherubim now I 153 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:34,760 just want to be really clear Valentine's Day is coming up lots of you will see 154 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:40,160 pictures of cherubim but they're not cherubim they're fat babies in nappies 155 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:44,000 shooting out arrows aren't they that's not a cherubim from description of the 156 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:48,440 Bible that's some sort of weird thing that doesn't seem to make sense to me 157 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:52,680 cherubim in the Bible would describe these things that would cause you 158 00:12:52,680 --> 00:12:56,800 fright and fear we have a lot of cute toddlers some of them wander around in 159 00:12:56,800 --> 00:13:00,280 nappies I don't see any of the parents or some people go it's just not what 160 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,240 happens but here in the Bible it describes something that will invoke 161 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:08,640 fear in fact the place where it's described to these cherubim is in the 162 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:13,760 Garden of Eden in Genesis when we are put out of paradise from God and where 163 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:19,840 a cherubim guards the gates the entrance to the garden with a sword of flame 164 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:23,560 what's that telling us there's a physical barrier between you and God 165 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:27,880 again because of your lack of holiness because of how you've behaved with God 166 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:31,560 but also it's pointing back to the garden not just the Mount Sinai but to 167 00:13:31,560 --> 00:13:36,160 the garden to where we want to be we want to be with God we want things to be 168 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:40,400 okay we want to feel safe and secure and to have to chat with him and be open with 169 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:45,920 all that we think and have but we can't got a big problem because we have 170 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:49,840 chosen to sin every one of us if we were in the garden we've done the same thing 171 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:53,680 every one of us if we were at the Mount Sinai would have chosen to reject 172 00:13:53,680 --> 00:13:57,840 God every one of us today have done the same thing which is why Beth led us 173 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:03,640 in a confession earlier we have got a big problem here we need to do something 174 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:07,920 about it so have the Israelites which brings us to the second thing that we see here 175 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:14,440 we see priests priests are there to help with this problem now I know I know we 176 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:18,960 live in Manchester we're part of an independent evangelical church they don't 177 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:22,240 talk about priests that much in fact I did a little bit of research this week 178 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:25,980 you can call it research and asked a bunch of you what do you think of when 179 00:14:25,980 --> 00:14:31,600 you think of priests and the responses I got were robes okay halo theme tune I 180 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:36,320 don't know why that was a thing but there we go and Jedi's so I mean we 181 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:40,980 priest is a funny thing for us to get our heads around and particularly what 182 00:14:40,980 --> 00:14:45,840 they do but can I say to you a lot of us feel comfortable talking about God as 183 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:52,720 our father God as our King God as our Savior maybe even God as a prophet who 184 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:58,840 tells truth friends if you don't catch that God is a wonderful priest who cares 185 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:02,200 for us then you're missing something deep about how good he is so let's just 186 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:06,480 delve into what priests do and how they help us well the first thing priests do 187 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:11,600 that we see is priests point back to the problem look at me with chapters 28 and 188 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:17,480 29 priests are going to sacrifice and offer atonement for the sins of Israel 189 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:24,200 and the sins of themselves as well but they also need to carefully clothe 190 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:29,560 themselves so in chapter 28 verses 1 to friend 1 to 30 we see them put an ethod 191 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:33,200 and a breastplate carrying God's people God's people's names and the tribes of 192 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:37,520 Israel there's pomegranates in there that's not something to be bougie and 193 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:41,280 look lovely but it's pointing back to the garden again and a desire to be back 194 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:46,880 with God and actually it gets a bit funny because at the end of chapter 28 195 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:50,840 there's a description of how they should wear their undergarments as well so that 196 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:54,740 and in that description so that they don't show their private parts towards 197 00:15:54,740 --> 00:15:58,880 God and fall over and die now that to you as you look at that might be kind of 198 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:02,200 something that's a little bit funny like don't flash in those areas otherwise 199 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:07,280 you might kill over and die but actually it's showing something serious here about 200 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:13,200 our problem these priests need to carefully clothe themselves in all these 201 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,880 things they need to be incredibly careful about what they wear they need 202 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:21,000 to be incredibly careful about what they present before God because not because 203 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:26,720 it's a funny but because they cannot do what Adam and Eve could do they cannot 204 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:30,360 be walking with God in the cool of the day in fact Genesis 2 25 what does it 205 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:36,600 describe describes Adam and Eve as walking with God naked and unashamed 206 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:42,080 honest and vulnerable accepted as they were and that is a difficult thing for 207 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:48,080 us because we are clouded in sin which is why even for a priest to approach God 208 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:53,480 they need to acknowledge that they are impure they need to become ritually 209 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:57,920 pure they need to become spiritually in some sense is pure by going about things 210 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:01,120 in the right way and that involves all of this clothing and all of this 211 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:05,160 carefulness in which they're putting themselves together once they do that 212 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:09,040 though priests don't just point to the problem they offer a sacrifice and 213 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:13,080 atonement we see that in chapter 30 where they are making a sacrifice for 214 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:19,240 the people of Israel's sake the last thing that priests do is and this is the 215 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:26,480 one that you really want to remember priests lead people home priests led 216 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:32,240 the people of Israel to the place that they always wanted to go past the altar 217 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:36,880 of incense past the curtain into the place on the day of atonement where they 218 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:41,000 could be with God as they are carried on the breastplate towards God the Father 219 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,800 and to be able to engage with him and to be able to receive forgiveness to in 220 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:49,480 some senses not perfectly but in some senses have that moment again where they 221 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:54,280 are naked and unashamed where they are walking with God in the cool of the day 222 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:57,840 where they are accepted and loved by him where they receive forgiveness and they 223 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:02,480 enjoy God's affection and togetherness in there as they are being forgiven for 224 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,960 all that is going on isn't that a wonderful thing that we they could have 225 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:14,480 and actually priests help them see that so we have a problem we have the priests 226 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:19,880 lastly we have the promise the promise that if the priests interact and follow 227 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:24,800 the rules in this way if a sacrifice is given in an atonement is done in the 228 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:29,680 right ways that forgiveness can be it can be given to the Israelites but they 229 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:33,600 can somehow look forward to being with God forever but they can look forward 230 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:37,080 to even though they were in the desert being in the promised land and being 231 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:42,680 with God forever what a wonderful thing we can see the problem is huge the 232 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:47,840 priests are wonderful and the promised is great now that's all wonderful but 233 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:52,200 you might be thinking cool Eric now what I've learned some facts about a priest 234 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:54,480 I don't think they're Jedi's anymore it's not gonna change my life 235 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:58,920 significantly thank you for that that's that's wonderful what's that got to do 236 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:03,480 with me well haven't you heard as we've gone through Exodus again and again and 237 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:07,320 again we want to be careful because this is a story a true story but not 238 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:11,560 everything is applicable to us straight away now we are not going to start you 239 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:15,200 know wearing bells and all this other stuff but really the description of the 240 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:23,560 Israelites is us this is our problem and we need a priest and we need to hold on 241 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:27,960 to a promise this is our problem we need to hold on to our priest it's a hold on 242 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:30,920 to our promise what's our problem we have the same thing as the Israelites 243 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:36,620 right we sin and we choose to reject God but we have a different priest we have 244 00:19:36,620 --> 00:19:42,160 Jesus this side of the cross he has given us a perfect gift of his sacrifice 245 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:48,080 of his blood Jesus gives us three things he gives us his blood Hebrews 10 chapter 246 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:52,600 14 for by one sacrifice he was made perfect forever those who would be are 247 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:57,280 being made holy the difference with his sacrifice is a one-time payment and we 248 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:00,680 get to be with God forever we get to enjoy access with him you know that 249 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:05,800 barrier that huge curtain that was significant upon Jesus death it is torn 250 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:10,640 in two we get to access God in a way we get the gift of his blood but we also 251 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:15,720 get the gift of his obedience Hebrews 4 15 for we do not have a high priest 252 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:19,840 who's unable to emphasize empathize with our weaknesses but we have one who was 253 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:25,800 tempted in every way just as we are yet he did not sin Jesus was fully God and 254 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:31,720 fully man meaning he knows what it's like to be tempted to sin he knows what 255 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:37,920 it's like to feel a sense of where do I fit in and yet he behaved perfectly for 256 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:43,560 our sakes and actually he gives us his obedience this is what field theologians 257 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:51,320 call the great exchange Jesus takes our sin and punishment and we get clothed in 258 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:55,920 his perfect actions we get given righteousness last gift that we get 259 00:20:55,920 --> 00:21:01,760 from Jesus his blood his obedience we also get the gift of his care or is 260 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:08,120 interceding if you want to use a longer word Romans 8 34 who then is the one who 261 00:21:08,120 --> 00:21:12,640 condemns no one Christ Jesus who died more than that who was raised to life is 262 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:18,080 that the right hand of God and is also interceding for us you've probably heard 263 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,320 the curtain being ripped into before and us being having been able to have 264 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:26,200 access to God join another picture of how Jesus loves us and he's wonderful 265 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:29,480 and he's good you remember I said there were two barriers one was the curtain 266 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:33,800 and the other one was that altar where smoke was billowing up all through the 267 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:38,320 time and there was a description of smoke back there in Sinai there's also 268 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:44,120 a description of smoke with Jesus later on because what happens to him he dies 269 00:21:44,120 --> 00:21:52,280 and the curtain gets ripped in two then he raises from the grave he tells his 270 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:57,680 disciples the wonderful truth of the gospel and then he ascends into heaven 271 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:05,160 he passes up into the sky through cloud to heaven Daniel and Revelation tell us 272 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:10,480 that so he's actually passing through the smoke and leading us because he's 273 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:14,560 the wonderful priest home he's leading us to the way in which we get access and 274 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:18,640 he's not just sitting there in heaven twiddling his thumbs but he's actually 275 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:22,440 one who intercedes for us now he is praying for us he is calling to the 276 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:27,920 Father about how good we are and what do we see in this picture from 28 29 and 30 277 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:31,840 of Exodus the priest would wear a breastplate with the names of the people 278 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:38,520 of Israel Jesus has died he has been he has risen from the grave he is ascended 279 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:44,880 on high through smoke into heaven and for our sakes if we respond with faith 280 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:51,240 and repentance he carries our names on his arm isn't that wonderfully 281 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:55,440 encouraging isn't that something that we can hold on to so if you look forwards 282 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:58,920 towards the future this gets really applicable and really serious if you 283 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:02,600 look for to your future you cannot predict how strong you will be you 284 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,600 cannot be sure that you will be able to handle every difficult thing that 285 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,960 happens COVID has taught us that the rising cost of living has taught us that 286 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:13,640 the crisis has that caused that threat of war has taught us that but if Jesus 287 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:17,320 is reigning on high if he has passed through smoke to be with God the Father 288 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:21,800 if he has led the way into that Holy of Holies that we want that Israelites 289 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:26,120 thousands of years ago long for if he is there and he is interceding for us if 290 00:23:26,120 --> 00:23:32,080 he is praying for us if he is to he is covering us with his good work and that 291 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:36,720 means that he will hold on to us as well he's good he is wonderful which is why 292 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:42,960 we get our problem our priest we also get our promise our promise is one of a 293 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:49,440 warm welcome just one more time that picture of entrance on the way in did 294 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:53,320 you see that it talked about a barrier smoke it talked about another barrier a 295 00:23:53,320 --> 00:24:00,420 curtain but either side of that smoky altar were two things a table and a 296 00:24:00,420 --> 00:24:05,680 lampstand a lampstand that was described in chapter 30 is always being on and a 297 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:10,360 table that you know if you've had the Lord's Supper before if you've accepted 298 00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:14,160 God's forgiveness and you take often it's something that we enjoy with God we 299 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:18,040 feast on and we engage with him let me try and give you a bit of an example of 300 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:23,360 this my wife and I've just had a had a one month old baby and and it's just 301 00:24:23,360 --> 00:24:27,480 really exciting to go to have a little kid again it's really wonderful and also 302 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:30,840 I consider life wonderful at the moment because I have a job where I get to 303 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,880 engage with you guys and spend time with you and we were just joking with each 304 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:37,080 other like we're waiting for life to be seen terrible because it's just so 305 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,120 wonderful at the moment like we enjoy our family and we enjoy our church 306 00:24:40,120 --> 00:24:45,440 family and I'm just so grateful for for both it's wonderful but one thing that I 307 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:51,680 find tough is sometimes after a 630 service sometimes after prayer and 308 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:58,720 praise or equip or a members meeting I'm like it's late at night I gotta go home now and when I get home 309 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:03,560 because we've got three kids now it's dark there's no more warm welcome it 310 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:07,560 used to be that I'd get home and Claire'd be eventually be like hi love here I've 311 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:10,560 made some food for you let's hang out and just talk what's on your heart but 312 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:15,600 now we're three kids it is one kid the other kid third kid and my wife's like 313 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:19,840 sleeping quietly as well it's just slightly different there is no light on 314 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:24,160 there is no warm food waiting for me there is no greeting and an opportunity 315 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:29,120 to share my heart I make a cheeky pot noodle and nip upstairs I try to not 316 00:25:29,120 --> 00:25:33,600 wake up my wife I stand on a squeaky toy everybody wakes up and I'm like oh this 317 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:38,760 is not warm anymore it's just different okay now hear me I'm not complaining I've 318 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:42,200 just said before life is wonderful and I'm incredibly grateful for it but that 319 00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:47,440 is not the picture that we get here with God there is a table waiting for you 320 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:52,480 with food to engage with to commune with God it's almost you only you only use it 321 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:56,160 in Manchester language it's almost as God saying I'm waiting for you come let's 322 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,240 have a cup of coffee share what's on your heart with me I want to I don't I 323 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:02,720 don't just want to save you I want to commune with you I want to know what's 324 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:06,800 going on with you and there's a lampstand it is always on saying you are welcome to 325 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:11,520 come home you're welcome to engage with him the promise is not one of oh you've 326 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:16,280 messed up again work harder earn it there is a warm welcome our God is 327 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:21,200 delighted to hear about us and to engage with us our promise is also not just a 328 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:24,640 warm welcome our promise is that Jesus will keep us too 329 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:31,640 Hebrews 6 describes Jesus as our high priest and that we are be able to engage 330 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:35,600 with God because of the identity that he's given us as well that chapter 331 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:41,520 describes him as our anchor meaning that he will keep us he will hold us if he's 332 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:45,280 passed through that cloud if he's described as our anchor then no matter 333 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:49,400 what you do if you have responded with faith and repentance and you are trusting 334 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:53,920 in God and holding on to him if it's all about what he has done he will keep us 335 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:57,240 won't he Ralph described this really helpfully last week with the picture of 336 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:01,960 baptism the baptism is not something that we do we are passive and being 337 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:07,880 baptized but it is the one who dunks us into death and raises into life that 338 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:11,680 person is the one who will keep us he will sustain us he is the one that we 339 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:15,240 can trust in all of that what a wonderful promise that the Israelites get 340 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:20,440 what an even greater warmer encouraging promise that we get there and what that 341 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:25,600 means is today you are called into action the dangerous thing to think at 342 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:33,120 this point is Wow someday I'll get to be home with Jesus someday I'll get a sense 343 00:27:33,120 --> 00:27:37,640 of belonging it is not some day I will feel that wonderful sense of belonging 344 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:42,880 it is today I have that sense of belonging can I say that one more time 345 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:46,600 it is today you will have that sense of belonging if you put your faith in 346 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:50,600 Christ and you respond with repentance because we do not just wait for Christ 347 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:57,360 in the future we have his spirit with us now which is why City Church talks about 348 00:27:57,360 --> 00:28:01,600 living life to the fullest we do not talk about twiddling our thumbs and 349 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:05,480 waiting till we get to see Jesus there is a purpose and a meaning to everything 350 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:10,240 that we do right now and we get to enjoy and engage with God in that way do you 351 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:14,760 know that there were priests back then do you know that Jesus is our perfect 352 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:20,560 high priest final point do you know that we are described in one Peter as the 353 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:27,400 priesthood of all believers that means that all of us function in some senses 354 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:31,640 like priests all of us have access towards God like priest all of us have 355 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:34,560 a right to interpret scripture and carefully think through things and 356 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:39,800 hopefully want to apply them towards our lives it means all of us get to build 357 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:44,360 into this church family and get to love each other do you know my favourite thing 358 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:48,200 that I get to do in this wonderful job is it's not preaching I like doing that 359 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:52,040 very much it's not you know ringing the bell that's cool but you know it's not 360 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:58,240 that that's not my favourite thing to do my absolute favourite thing to do is to 361 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:04,200 watch somebody step out in faith and to minister to somebody else so often we'll 362 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:08,080 see people come up and chat to us and go my life is broken in this way things 363 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:11,880 are hurting in this way Sundays can be quite painful because and any given 364 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:15,240 Sunday there's just a bucketload of people whose lives are falling apart and 365 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:20,960 painful and it is gut-wrenching but it is beautiful and wonderful when somebody 366 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:24,160 else overhears that conversation and goes I've been through that do you want to 367 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:28,280 chat with me and and and you know what's wonderful when that happens the person 368 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:32,040 who's come to talk to me and going I'm struggling with I don't know my life 369 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:34,640 falling apart I'm struggling with miscarriage I'm struggling feeling 370 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,680 single I'm sure we're feeling lonely I'm something where if you know they don't 371 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:42,240 go I still want to talk to you that I disappear they talked out of a person 372 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:45,120 and there's almost a priest of all believers of ministering to each other 373 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:49,160 that's there but it's wonderful that is a picture of the church family so what 374 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:53,520 does this look like for us to live like priests who are full of the promise who 375 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:58,120 recognize our problem and to trust in our high priests well it looks like us 376 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:04,200 encouraging one another doesn't it so it means that we don't just look to one to 377 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:08,720 ones with Ralph or praying opportunities with Matt it looks like us engaging and 378 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:12,440 encouraging each other in book clubs when we meet with each other it looks 379 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:15,540 like church members remembering a difficult meeting for somebody else in 380 00:30:15,540 --> 00:30:19,400 connect and praying for them maybe even texting them some level of encouragement 381 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:23,400 it looks like a student who is being mentored by somebody older than them who 382 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:26,960 looks like they have everything with life sorted stepping out in faith and 383 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:31,160 just doing a little bit of a challenge and encourage and a prayer and and a 384 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:36,520 steering for them as well sort of it is a two-way thing that is helpful friends 385 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:40,680 that's the wonderful thing if we believe that we are all priests before God 386 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:44,680 because he has called us to action now it means that all of us can step out in 387 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:49,280 action and no one's gonna go how dare you who do you think you are but rather 388 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:52,240 we're gonna say we are church family learning from each other and that's a 389 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:56,880 wonderful thing for us to do we stumble together trying to lean on God 390 00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:02,040 independency towards him friends isn't that the picture we see here the smoke 391 00:31:02,040 --> 00:31:10,960 is dissipated the curtain is torn in two the sacrifice is paid for and we can now 392 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:19,600 enjoy God forever even now today and our high priest is praying interceding to 393 00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:24,520 God the Father for us right now and we are anchored to him by his good work and 394 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:32,680 we will be led safely home but right now right now today we have a place a purpose 395 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:37,180 and a sense of a call and a belonging before God and what a wonderful thing 396 00:31:37,180 --> 00:31:41,680 to be involved in why don't we step out and doing that today later on as we see 397 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:47,080 each other let me pray and then the band are gonna lead us as we respond father 398 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:53,480 we recognize that our problem is significant we recognize that sin is 399 00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:57,640 something that will pull us away from you it has done so for millennia of 400 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:00,320 people but Lord we thank you but we don't just have a problem we have a 401 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:05,520 priest a great high priest who has given so much towards us and because of that 402 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:10,880 we hold on to your promise not just for the future but for today as well Lord in 403 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:14,880 the meantime would you help us to not just look around and look at all the 404 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:18,960 ways that we can be tempted to feel like we don't belong would you help us to 405 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:23,240 realize that you will lead us home and right now you have given us a wonderful 406 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:27,800 home in church family we want to love that family we want to be involved in 407 00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:31,800 that family and we want to point around to the world as well around us to bring 408 00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:35,720 them in and tell them taste and see how wonderful our God is how great our 409 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:46,960 priest is as well it is in your name we pray