1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,760 Hebrews chapter 8, a relatively short chapter. 2 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,840 We were going to do it all today, but we're probably not going to make it through, so 3 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:21,000 we'll probably cover the first half today. 4 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:26,040 Hebrews chapter 8, that's in the New Testament. 5 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:31,480 We're kind of in what I would call the meat of the sandwich. 6 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:37,640 Really the first six chapters of Hebrews were pointing out that Jesus is superior, that 7 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:39,720 Jesus is better than everything. 8 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:45,100 And then when we get to chapter 7, the author of Hebrews really begins to make his point 9 00:00:45,100 --> 00:00:46,360 that he's trying to make. 10 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:52,640 And so what we saw in chapter 7 is a real focus by the author of Hebrews to point out 11 00:00:52,640 --> 00:01:00,480 that the priesthood of Jesus was superior, that Jesus is a better high priest, that the 12 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:04,800 covenant that Jesus brings is better than the old covenant. 13 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:10,480 And the author is kind of introducing us to these ideas here in chapter 7, then in chapter 14 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:12,960 8 and into chapter 9. 15 00:01:12,960 --> 00:01:16,320 This is kind of the core of his message. 16 00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:21,040 If we look at Hebrews like a sermon, which I think probably it's good for us to do so, 17 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:24,400 he's kind of introducing us to things in the first six chapters. 18 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:29,840 Then it gets to his main point in 7, 8, and 9, and then he kind of closes there toward 19 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,840 the end of the book, especially in chapter 11 with some encouragement. 20 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:38,520 And so today we're going to begin to look at Hebrews chapter 8. 21 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,400 And the good news is that Michelle got me some new shoes yesterday, and they're very 22 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,340 comfortable, much more comfortable than my other shoes. 23 00:01:45,340 --> 00:01:47,320 So I can stand for a lot longer. 24 00:01:47,320 --> 00:01:50,160 So I may be able to preach for a few minutes extra today. 25 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:51,160 Praise the Lord. 26 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:52,920 I know y'all are glad of that. 27 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:55,280 You can thank Michelle after the service today. 28 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:56,960 All right. 29 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:58,920 Hebrews chapter 8 is where we'll start. 30 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:00,560 Let's pray, and then we'll jump in. 31 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:04,760 God, we come to you today, and we thank you for your good word. 32 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,520 And I pray, God, that it would be good for us today. 33 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:09,920 God, it will be if we would listen. 34 00:02:09,920 --> 00:02:14,040 And dear Lord, I pray that you would help me to be able to preach and teach in a way 35 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:18,520 that brings glory to you, that I'd be able to preach and teach your word, God, in a way 36 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,920 that we understand, that we can grow from today. 37 00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:24,080 But dear Lord, that only happens if you're with us. 38 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:29,020 So I pray that you'd be with us today, that you would open our hearts and open our ears 39 00:02:29,020 --> 00:02:34,260 to hear from you, dear Lord, that you would help us to lay down our worries and our sins 40 00:02:34,260 --> 00:02:36,840 and our distractions today. 41 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:40,160 I pray that in these few moments that we would give you this time, dear Lord. 42 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:45,000 I pray that you'd help me not to ramble about, but to say the words that you want me to say, 43 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:48,320 God, that we would hear the words that you want us to hear. 44 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:52,600 I pray that you'd hide me behind the cross and bless each one of us here this morning. 45 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,520 And I ask these things in Jesus' name. 46 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:56,520 Amen. 47 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:01,240 Hebrews chapter 8 verse 1. 48 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:05,440 Now the main point of what is being said is this. 49 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:11,560 We have this kind of high priest who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the majesty 50 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:19,040 in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that was set up by 51 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:21,920 the Lord and not man. 52 00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:23,520 Now we've briefly talked about it. 53 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:30,280 We will briefly talk about today the idea and the way that the Old Testament laid out 54 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:34,920 the sacrificial system and that there was a system that God established. 55 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:40,280 And through Moses, he gave a command on a tabernacle and how it was supposed to be built. 56 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:45,360 And certain sacrifices that had to be made and how the priesthood would be established 57 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,880 and how the high priest would make those sacrifices. 58 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:54,840 And these were things that were established by God, but they were performed by man. 59 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:57,240 They were earthly in some sense. 60 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,320 Now these were beautiful things that God gave us. 61 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:05,880 And this was the way that God intended for things to be done in the Old Testament. 62 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,480 But they were always pointing forward to Jesus Christ. 63 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:13,120 And the author of Hebrews has been telling us through the whole book, and you've heard 64 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:20,160 it a lot of times, is that he wants his audience to know that Jesus is better. 65 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,000 He's better than the old sacrificial system. 66 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:26,000 He's better than anything that there is in the world. 67 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,520 He's better than anything that had come before him. 68 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:34,640 And there's nothing that comes after him that will be better than who Jesus is. 69 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:39,560 And so the author has been building up and he made this point in chapter 7. 70 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:44,840 He began to spell these things out and he sums it up again here in chapter 8. 71 00:04:44,840 --> 00:04:52,280 The main point of what I'm saying is this, is that Jesus is above, that Jesus is seated 72 00:04:52,280 --> 00:04:59,300 at the right hand of God, that Jesus is seated on the throne because he's victorious. 73 00:04:59,300 --> 00:05:02,100 We saw this at the very beginning of the book. 74 00:05:02,100 --> 00:05:06,480 The author tells us the same thing, he brings out the same point. 75 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:12,640 And here in chapter 8, he's bringing it back up again, that Jesus is not an earthly priest. 76 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:14,520 He's not like the earthly priest. 77 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,420 He's not serving in an earthly sanctuary. 78 00:05:17,420 --> 00:05:20,400 He's not offering sacrifices of animals. 79 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:24,520 But Jesus as our high priest is victorious. 80 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,800 He's a better high priest and he's seated with God. 81 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:30,180 He's in the presence of God. 82 00:05:30,180 --> 00:05:35,560 And as we saw a couple of weeks ago, he is there interceding for us, for those who have 83 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,800 put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. 84 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:43,680 Jesus as our high priest who is atoned for us, intercedes for us. 85 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,880 He's seated at the right hand of God and he's saying, this one's mine. 86 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,040 This one is covered by my blood. 87 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:54,160 He is the one that intercedes for us in the midst of our struggle, in the midst of our 88 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:58,200 life, in the midst of our temptation, in the midst of our sin. 89 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:03,880 We have one who is in the very presence of God and seated at the right hand of God. 90 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:07,520 And therefore, he is above all these things we see here. 91 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:10,720 And he is greater than everything that we see. 92 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:15,200 And the author of Hebrews says, and the main point of what I'm telling you, don't miss 93 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,920 this point, is Jesus is better. 94 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:22,360 We've seen that term time and again throughout Hebrews. 95 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:23,360 He's better. 96 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:24,920 He's better than the angels. 97 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:26,320 He's better than Moses. 98 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:27,800 He's better than Abraham. 99 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:29,280 He's better than the law. 100 00:06:29,280 --> 00:06:31,720 He's better than the sacrifices. 101 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:34,560 Jesus is better. 102 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:36,400 And that's the main point. 103 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:37,880 And what makes Jesus better? 104 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:41,480 Well, let's continue on into verse 3. 105 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:46,280 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. 106 00:06:46,280 --> 00:06:52,640 Therefore, it was necessary for this high priest also to have something to offer. 107 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:57,600 Now if he were on earth, he wouldn't be a priest since there are those offering gifts 108 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,120 prescribed by the law. 109 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:05,480 So this was a very important part of the priesthood, is that the priest must have something to 110 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:06,480 offer. 111 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:10,480 Now what the priest would offer would be the sacrifice of animals. 112 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:13,800 And we'll talk more about that when we get into chapter 9. 113 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:16,720 He spends a lot of time talking about that. 114 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,960 But what the priest would do is that they would offer these animals. 115 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:21,440 And what was this for? 116 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:25,800 These were sacrifices to atone for the people's sins. 117 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:30,880 This was what the job of the priest was, to make atonement for the people. 118 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:36,200 And so Jesus coming and being our high priest must be like the other high priest and that 119 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,000 he must have something to offer. 120 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:44,120 But what the author of Hebrews tells us is he's not like the other earthly priest. 121 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:51,480 Now Jesus was uniquely qualified to be our high priest in one way, in that he could do 122 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:54,040 the things that no other earthly priest could do. 123 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:59,560 He was uniquely qualified to be perfect, to make perfect atonement for our sins. 124 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:05,560 But then on the other hand, Jesus was not qualified at all because the law stated that 125 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:08,440 the priest would come from the tribe of Aaron. 126 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,800 And the author of Hebrews has already pointed out, well, wait a minute, Jesus didn't come 127 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,200 from, or excuse me, the tribe of Levi. 128 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:18,320 He is supposed to come from the tribe of Levi, but Jesus didn't come from the tribe of Levi. 129 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:20,240 He came from the tribe of Judah. 130 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:24,800 And so the author of Hebrews has been trying to make this point for his audience who were 131 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:31,160 consumed with the law and doing things of the law when they needed to be focusing on 132 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:35,100 higher things and better things, that is Jesus Christ. 133 00:08:35,100 --> 00:08:39,760 Now we don't fall into that trap, probably, of wanting to sacrifice animals for our sins. 134 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:40,760 I hope we don't. 135 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:42,780 I'm sure we probably don't. 136 00:08:42,780 --> 00:08:48,780 But we still may get caught up in the trap of religion or the trap of living by the letter 137 00:08:48,780 --> 00:08:50,040 of the law. 138 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:56,040 You see, the people that Jesus often encountered were very religious people, but they weren't 139 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,920 all people who were seeking to serve God. 140 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:03,120 They were seeking to be made right by following the letter of law. 141 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:04,800 Hey, here's what the law stated. 142 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:06,440 Here's what the Old Testament said. 143 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:10,840 So we're going to try to follow this law and find justification in the sight of God through 144 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:11,960 the law. 145 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:17,500 And they were very religious, but they were never going to earn favor in God's sight, 146 00:09:17,500 --> 00:09:20,200 and their sins were never going to be covered by the law. 147 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:26,320 And so God sent Jesus Christ onto the scene, and Jesus began to preach and to teach and 148 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:28,220 do miracles. 149 00:09:28,220 --> 00:09:31,640 And many of those people who are religious rejected Jesus. 150 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:35,760 Now we may look at those in scripture and say, well, I would never do that. 151 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:42,500 Well, we must be careful, because it's very easy for us to fall into that trap of religion, 152 00:09:42,500 --> 00:09:46,920 to get used to coming and sitting on the pew and to get used to doing churchy things and 153 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:51,760 to get used to saying the right phrases and the right words and to think that we're living 154 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,480 a good life because we're doing all the outward things. 155 00:09:55,480 --> 00:10:00,440 But God doesn't look at the outward things, and this is really scary for us. 156 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:02,240 This is really scary. 157 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,600 Now we may come to church today, and you may be doing the outward things. 158 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:09,360 You may be saying, oh, brother or sister, I'm going to pray for you, and oh, I'm going 159 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:13,400 to put money in here to help these poor people, and oh, I'm going to do this, and oh, I'm 160 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:16,520 going to do that, and I'm going to be here every Sunday, and I'm going to make sure to 161 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:18,280 pray, and I'm going to do all... 162 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:22,120 I'm going to read in Sunday school and all these things that we do. 163 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:26,520 But we're not fooling God if those are the only things that we're doing. 164 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:27,960 We can't just do those things. 165 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:32,640 Now to do those things is good, and it is right to help people in need and to come together 166 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:34,260 and to worship and to gather. 167 00:10:34,260 --> 00:10:37,680 But if that's all we're doing, that's not enough. 168 00:10:37,680 --> 00:10:42,000 And for many of the people that Jesus encountered, that's all they were doing. 169 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:43,260 They were playing a part. 170 00:10:43,260 --> 00:10:44,400 They were playing a role. 171 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:45,680 They were hypocrites. 172 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:47,680 They had a mask on, so to speak. 173 00:10:47,680 --> 00:10:50,000 They were acting out a part. 174 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:55,560 But God doesn't care so much about what we do on the outside if what we do on the inside 175 00:10:55,560 --> 00:10:57,200 is not right. 176 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,760 So what God does is he looks at our heart. 177 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:05,000 We need to be those whose heart is in the right place, that we do the things that need 178 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:06,920 to be done. 179 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:12,760 Now we won't fall into that trap of wanting to sacrifice animals for our sins, probably, 180 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:17,840 but we might fall into the trap of religion, into the trap of thinking we are justified 181 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:19,500 by our outward actions. 182 00:11:19,500 --> 00:11:23,260 And that's what this audience here in the book of Hebrews was part of their problem. 183 00:11:23,260 --> 00:11:26,860 They were wanting to go back to the old way of doing things. 184 00:11:26,860 --> 00:11:31,420 They were wanting to be sanctified, and they were wanting to be made right in the eyes 185 00:11:31,420 --> 00:11:34,040 of God by following these things. 186 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,900 And what the author of Hebrews says is you need to be following Jesus. 187 00:11:37,900 --> 00:11:39,300 You need to listen to Jesus. 188 00:11:39,300 --> 00:11:43,200 You need to follow Jesus. 189 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,760 So he says, look, Jesus is better than your old way of doing things. 190 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:49,480 Jesus is better than your old high priest. 191 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:54,880 Jesus is uniquely qualified in that he can do things the earthly high priest could not. 192 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:59,560 So Jesus was not qualified by the letter of the law, and that's the point that the author 193 00:11:59,560 --> 00:12:00,560 of Hebrews makes. 194 00:12:00,560 --> 00:12:04,440 Okay, he didn't come from the tribe of Levi because he's better. 195 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:07,480 There was an old way of doing things, but a new way has come. 196 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:08,840 A better way has come. 197 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:11,880 A perfect way has come in Jesus Christ. 198 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:18,600 And so when Jesus comes as our more perfect high priest, he comes not to offer the sacrifices 199 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:24,600 of animals, but Jesus comes to offer himself as a sacrifice. 200 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:26,900 And this is a key theme in the book of Hebrews. 201 00:12:26,900 --> 00:12:30,000 This is a key theme throughout scripture. 202 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:36,480 This is a key theme to becoming a Christian today is that we acknowledge and that we recognize 203 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:43,120 that Jesus, the son of God, was nailed to a cross for our sins. 204 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:45,260 He sacrificed himself. 205 00:12:45,260 --> 00:12:51,120 He willingly stood there and allowed them to beat him and to mock him and ultimately 206 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:57,080 to nail him to a cross when at any moment it was within his power to say no more. 207 00:12:57,080 --> 00:13:01,120 But Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice. 208 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:06,120 And so Jesus came to make atonement for our sins as a good high priest would do. 209 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:10,600 But Jesus made atonement by sacrificing himself. 210 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:13,640 And so Jesus is better. 211 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:17,840 Jesus is better, the author of Hebrews tells his audience. 212 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:22,320 He's unique in every way and he's better than everything you've ever known. 213 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,080 Therefore trust in Jesus. 214 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:27,360 That's a good message there for us today. 215 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:29,640 Therefore trust in Jesus. 216 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:31,640 I don't know what you're trusting in today. 217 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:33,140 Maybe you're trusting in Jesus. 218 00:13:33,140 --> 00:13:35,000 Maybe you're trusting in your career. 219 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,000 Maybe you're trusting in things of the world. 220 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:38,200 Maybe you're trusting in your wealth. 221 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:42,640 I don't know what you're trusting in today, but if we're not trusting in Jesus, we're 222 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:48,000 trusting in the wrong thing because Jesus is better than everything that's around us. 223 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:52,320 And that's what the author tells his audience here in Hebrews. 224 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:57,720 Verse five. 225 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:02,280 These serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. 226 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:08,760 As Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle, for God said, be careful that 227 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:15,280 you make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain. 228 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:19,640 So what are we to make of some of these things that we see in the Old Testament? 229 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:24,280 We see a lot of stuff in the Old Testament and particularly in the context of Hebrews. 230 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:30,180 The focus is on the tabernacle and eventually the temple and the priesthood and those who 231 00:14:30,180 --> 00:14:31,520 would serve. 232 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:34,100 But what is the significance of all this? 233 00:14:34,100 --> 00:14:37,940 We see so much emphasis on this in the Old Testament. 234 00:14:37,940 --> 00:14:43,160 You go back and you look at Exodus around chapter 34 and you read there for several 235 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:47,520 chapters and it is some of the most boring reading you will ever do. 236 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:48,520 It's hard read. 237 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:52,880 That's why a few years ago when we preached through the book of Exodus, we skipped those 238 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:56,040 chapters because it gives such intricate detail. 239 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,240 Now, I'm not saying it's bad stuff. 240 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:02,560 I'm just saying that it's really, really specific detail. 241 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:08,760 And this is detail that God has given and shown to Moses, here is what you need to do. 242 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:11,180 Here is how I'm going to interact with you. 243 00:15:11,180 --> 00:15:16,280 Here is how the relationship between me and my people is going to look. 244 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:18,920 And so he says, here's what you're going to do, Moses. 245 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:21,880 You're going to build me a tabernacle. 246 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:28,160 And then God proceeds to in those chapters to give very specific details. 247 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,800 Everything is the specific measurement. 248 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:36,160 Everything is specific length and specific size and laid out in a specific way with specific 249 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:37,720 kinds of materials. 250 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:43,280 And it goes on and on and on and on for chapters about all of these details. 251 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:48,760 And it's not a very exciting read, but there must be something to it. 252 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:56,440 There must be something to the fact that God paid so much attention to all of these details. 253 00:15:56,440 --> 00:16:00,360 He didn't just say, y'all go out there and pitch tent and every once in a while, y'all 254 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:03,480 come offer some sacrifices there and that'll be good enough. 255 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:07,440 God said everything must be done in a specific way. 256 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:13,760 And so the tabernacle and the priesthood and the sacrifices and the offerings, all of these 257 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:16,840 things were done in a specific way. 258 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,040 And what was the purpose of these things? 259 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:25,520 Well, the author of Hebrews tells us that in verse five, he says, these serve as a copy 260 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:29,680 and a shadow of the heavenly things. 261 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:35,800 So what we see on this earth so often, especially in scripture, especially when we talk about 262 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:42,000 the tabernacle, what we see is that these things were a copy, a copy of what? 263 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,700 A copy of heavenly things. 264 00:16:44,700 --> 00:16:47,560 They're a shadow of heavenly things. 265 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:53,240 Now, when we look at a shadow, we see the outline of something without being able to 266 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:56,520 fully grasp the detail of it. 267 00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:03,240 And so what we see in the beauty of the temple and the sacrifices is we see just a brief 268 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:04,240 outline. 269 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:10,320 Now, in all the beautiful, wonderful, extraordinary amount of detail that we have about the temple 270 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:16,160 and about the sacrifices and about the priesthood, we still only kind of get a glimpse of what 271 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:18,440 God's trying to tell us in that. 272 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,660 So the tabernacle and the priesthood, they were a copy. 273 00:17:21,660 --> 00:17:24,760 They were a shadow of the things to come. 274 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:28,800 That is, they were pointing us to something that was going to be better. 275 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:32,640 They were never intended to be the end all be all. 276 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:38,080 But yet these things that we see so often in the Old Testament were pointing us to Jesus 277 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:39,080 Christ. 278 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:43,500 They were pointing us to the way that God intended for things to be done. 279 00:17:43,500 --> 00:17:46,360 They were pointing us to a perfect way. 280 00:17:46,360 --> 00:17:50,560 They were an earthly symbol of heavenly realities. 281 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:52,200 Now we see the beauty of God. 282 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:53,440 We see the love of God. 283 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:55,160 We see the grace of God. 284 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:59,520 We see the beauty and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 285 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:03,880 And all of these things that we see in the tabernacle and the priesthood and the sacrifices 286 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:08,200 were pointing us to who Jesus was going to be. 287 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:13,400 That Jesus was going to be the ultimate fulfillment of these things and that ultimately we will 288 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:15,980 see these heavenly realities. 289 00:18:15,980 --> 00:18:20,040 But today we only see a little bit of the shadow. 290 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:24,400 Even though the shadows that were pointing to Jesus Christ have been revealed in Jesus 291 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:30,880 Christ and we see Jesus Christ in some way and we know Jesus Christ in some way, one 292 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:37,200 day we will see the heavenly realities of seeing Jesus Christ in his fullness. 293 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:41,960 Now we see when we go back to Exodus and God begins to explain all of these details to 294 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:46,660 Abraham as to, excuse me, Moses as to how to make this tabernacle. 295 00:18:46,660 --> 00:18:53,400 He gives him these details and he tells him, follow the pattern that you have been shown. 296 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:54,400 Now it's interesting language. 297 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:58,440 It says that several times, the patterns that you have been shown. 298 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,240 Now I don't know what Moses saw. 299 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:02,720 I don't know what he saw. 300 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,080 I don't know what God revealed to him. 301 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:08,780 But there was something that was revealed to Moses on the mountain. 302 00:19:08,780 --> 00:19:14,720 There was something that Moses saw that God showed him and it showed it to him in the 303 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:18,800 heavens, something that he saw in the heavens, something that was revealed to him, something 304 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,240 that was a heavenly reality. 305 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:23,160 God revealed this to Moses. 306 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:29,440 He showed this to Moses and he says, now take what I have shown you and make this on earth. 307 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:33,720 I want you to take what you've seen in heaven and I want you to give people a glimpse of 308 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:35,040 what it's going to be. 309 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:40,320 I've given you a pattern and you need to follow that pattern. 310 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:43,720 And that's exactly what Moses and the people of Israel did. 311 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:45,000 They followed the pattern. 312 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:46,380 They built the tabernacle. 313 00:19:46,380 --> 00:19:48,240 They started offering the sacrifices. 314 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:49,960 They established the priesthood. 315 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:52,800 All of these things was a pattern of what is to come. 316 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:55,680 Now what Moses saw, I don't know. 317 00:19:55,680 --> 00:20:00,280 When we get to heaven and we in the presence of the Lord, will there be some type of tabernacle 318 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:03,080 type set up like we see on earth? 319 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:06,400 Did Moses copy that and there will be something along that line in heaven? 320 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,400 I don't know. 321 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:13,120 Perhaps what Moses saw was simply symbolized by the things we see on earth. 322 00:20:13,120 --> 00:20:18,240 When we look at the tabernacle, we see all kinds of things that are there. 323 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:21,760 Perhaps these are things that we will see in some form in heaven. 324 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:26,380 Perhaps the things we see in the tabernacle in this language in the Old Testament are 325 00:20:26,380 --> 00:20:30,320 symbolic of what heaven is going to represent. 326 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:33,400 If you've never looked up a picture of the tabernacle, you can look it up. 327 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:34,400 Google it. 328 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:35,400 Not right now. 329 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:36,400 After service. 330 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:37,400 You get your phone out, you can Google it. 331 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:39,000 Look out the tabernacle of the Old Testament and it'll show you. 332 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:42,280 It'll show you the dimensions and the measurements and it'll show you everything. 333 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:47,200 You enter through the east gate and when you go in, there's an altar there that the animals 334 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:49,080 would be burned on the altar. 335 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:53,760 Then there would be a basin there that the priests would use to clean up and to wash. 336 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:55,680 Then you would enter into this building. 337 00:20:55,680 --> 00:21:00,160 It was kind of a long rectangular shaped building. 338 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:03,480 In the front part of the building, it was two-thirds of the building. 339 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:08,280 When you'd walk in, you'd see a table there and it would have some showbread on it. 340 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:15,480 Then you'd see a lamp stand that would be there and an altar of incense. 341 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:19,640 Then you would see a big veil that would be two-thirds of the way through the back of 342 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:20,640 the room. 343 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:24,000 Behind that veil would be the Holy of Holies. 344 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:28,000 In the Holy of Holies would be the Ark of the Covenant. 345 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:30,260 Probably not like it was on Indiana Jones. 346 00:21:30,260 --> 00:21:31,260 Get that out of your mind. 347 00:21:31,260 --> 00:21:34,440 I don't know, but maybe not. 348 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:38,720 In the Ark of the Covenant were the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments and was 349 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:43,640 Aaron's staff that budded and a jar of manna. 350 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:47,080 These were things, as you read through the Old Testament, it is said, okay, now put this 351 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:50,840 into the Ark of the Covenant as a remembrance. 352 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:55,040 It was on top of the Ark of the Covenant, there was two cherubim, these angelic-like 353 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:58,160 creatures whose wings met in the middle. 354 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:03,920 It was in here that the high priest would go once a year to make atonement for the sins 355 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:04,920 of the people. 356 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:09,960 Only the high priest could go there because there in the most holy place was where God 357 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:15,600 resided, where God would come down there onto the Ark of the Covenant and be there amongst 358 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:17,120 the people. 359 00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:19,600 This is what's spelled out for us in the Old Testament. 360 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:21,960 So Moses saw something. 361 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:28,320 He was revealed something that God showed him and said, make the tabernacle in this 362 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:29,860 way. 363 00:22:29,860 --> 00:22:34,200 Perhaps we will see some form of those things in heaven. 364 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:38,340 Maybe they're just pointing us forward to what Jesus was going to be and the realities 365 00:22:38,340 --> 00:22:39,340 of heaven. 366 00:22:39,340 --> 00:22:45,440 That Jesus was going to be the one who was placed on the altar, on the cross, to make 367 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:48,160 atonement for our sins. 368 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:53,260 That there's a basin there for cleansing and that through Jesus Christ our sins have been 369 00:22:53,260 --> 00:22:56,440 clean and washed as white as snow. 370 00:22:56,440 --> 00:23:01,440 That there's bread there to remind us that God is the one who provides for us. 371 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:06,640 That there's a lamp there to remind us that God is the one who lights our way. 372 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:10,580 The bowl of incense as we see on a couple of occasions in scriptures and the Psalms 373 00:23:10,580 --> 00:23:15,780 and in Revelation that represent smoke goes up representing the prayers of those who pray 374 00:23:15,780 --> 00:23:18,300 to God. 375 00:23:18,300 --> 00:23:24,840 And there in the most holy place was access to God where only the high priest could go 376 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:28,000 and only once a year. 377 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:29,240 These things were a shadow. 378 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:30,240 They were a copy. 379 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:33,680 They were pointing us forward to something. 380 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:40,480 And the author of Hebrews says, listen, these things that we see are pointing us forward 381 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,080 to Jesus Christ. 382 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:48,280 And that's why it's so significant that when we see that Jesus was crucified, that the 383 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:53,260 moment that he took his last breath, that the scripture says the veil and that place 384 00:23:53,260 --> 00:23:56,400 was torn from top to bottom. 385 00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:59,140 Because we're no longer separated from God. 386 00:23:59,140 --> 00:24:06,360 Because the high priest Jesus Christ has gone before God and given us his life as a sacrifice 387 00:24:06,360 --> 00:24:08,460 once and for all. 388 00:24:08,460 --> 00:24:10,480 So now we have access to God. 389 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:15,800 We've received the Holy Spirit and we have access to God and we can pray to God and we 390 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:21,440 can seek God and we look at these things that were a copy and a shadow that were pointing 391 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:27,160 us forward to Jesus Christ that were a pattern of heavenly things. 392 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:32,140 You see these things that we see in scripture, they're a pattern of what God intends. 393 00:24:32,140 --> 00:24:37,520 And we see the reality of the greatest part of that pattern of the atonement for our sins 394 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:39,600 in Jesus Christ. 395 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:44,500 We see that Jesus has fulfilled all the things that need to be fulfilled. 396 00:24:44,500 --> 00:24:50,600 And in the pattern of fulfillment of what was established through Moses, Jesus has fulfilled 397 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:57,040 all those tasks of the high priesthood, all those tasks of the sacrifices. 398 00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:02,040 And there are so many things we see in scripture that should be a pattern for us. 399 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:08,220 God told Moses make this as a pattern so that people can understand that these can be earthly 400 00:25:08,220 --> 00:25:11,360 symbols of heavenly realities. 401 00:25:11,360 --> 00:25:16,300 And there are other things I believe that God gives us as Christians as patterns that 402 00:25:16,300 --> 00:25:19,560 should be earthly symbols of heavenly realities. 403 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:24,160 When we look at our relationship with Jesus Christ, what do we see that referred to as 404 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:25,420 in scripture? 405 00:25:25,420 --> 00:25:27,860 We see it referred to as a marriage. 406 00:25:27,860 --> 00:25:32,880 We see that Jesus Christ is the groom and we are to be his bride. 407 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:37,760 And that, brothers and sisters in Christ, is why marriage is so important. 408 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:42,800 And I preach hard on marriage a lot, probably more than some of you like. 409 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:46,840 But I preach on that because I believe it's a pattern that we do not need to take for 410 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:47,840 granted. 411 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:53,080 It is a pattern that shows us the relationship of what it means to be in relationship with 412 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:56,200 God, to be in relationship with Jesus Christ. 413 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,440 It is a pattern on how we are to live. 414 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:04,600 It is a pattern for us men to look at Jesus to say Jesus gave everything for his bride. 415 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:09,840 It is a pattern for the bride to say I'm going to be obedient to my husband. 416 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:12,780 I'm going to be faithful to my husband. 417 00:26:12,780 --> 00:26:16,400 And marriage is such a beautiful and a wonderful thing. 418 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:23,440 And we should show the world the pattern of God's love and the reality of God's love through 419 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:25,040 our marriages. 420 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:30,520 But our culture doesn't hold the same view of marriage that scripture does. 421 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:34,400 Our culture doesn't hold a very high view of marriage at all. 422 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:37,520 But we as Christians must hold a high view of marriage. 423 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:42,120 It represents the relationship between us and Jesus Christ. 424 00:26:42,120 --> 00:26:47,760 And so we need to know and we need to understand the importance of that. 425 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:51,720 We want to be those who stick by our husbands and sticks by our wives. 426 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:58,080 And when we say forever till death do us part, we mean it for better or for worse. 427 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:02,520 And we want our marriages to be a pattern, to be an example that when the world sees 428 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:08,120 us as Christians, that they would see the love of Jesus Christ. 429 00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:13,440 So we see in scripture that there are some earthly symbols that God gives us as heavenly 430 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:20,920 realities because one day Jesus is going to return, the groom will return for his bride. 431 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:25,480 And oh what a beautiful marriage that will be in heaven. 432 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:32,760 And so we need to understand that the things we do in this world need to keep in mind how 433 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:36,540 God has established things and what God calls us to. 434 00:27:36,540 --> 00:27:41,680 We see another beautiful example of a pattern I believe and that is in the relationship 435 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:47,080 between a parent and a child that so often times in scripture we see God referred to 436 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:51,960 as the father and we are referred to as his children. 437 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:53,600 There's a pattern there. 438 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:54,760 There's some instruction there. 439 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:56,480 There's some symbolism there. 440 00:27:56,480 --> 00:28:02,160 As we look at how God treats his people that we need to learn from God as parents that 441 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:07,680 we would be good mothers, that we would be good fathers, that we would hold our children 442 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:11,600 accountable, that we would teach them the right way, that we would encourage them, that 443 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,040 we would correct them. 444 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:18,640 God is our father and we as parents in this world need to strive to follow the example 445 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:25,160 of God that we would be a good father and a good mother for our children. 446 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:26,360 So we see these patterns. 447 00:28:26,360 --> 00:28:30,700 We see this symbolic language that affects us. 448 00:28:30,700 --> 00:28:36,280 We see here in the book of Hebrews that there's so much emphasis placed on the tabernacle 449 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:42,800 and on the priesthood and on the sacrifices because it points us forward to something 450 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:50,640 better in Jesus Christ as so many things in scripture does. 451 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:53,160 God gives us a pattern to live by. 452 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:58,400 The scripture is full of patterns that we should live by to represent who God is and 453 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:03,000 to live in the way that God calls us to live and we need to check our lives today and we 454 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:08,040 need to say, is my life patterned after that of Jesus Christ? 455 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:12,200 Is my life a pattern that's worthy to be followed? 456 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:14,940 A pattern is only good if it's followed. 457 00:29:14,940 --> 00:29:18,120 If you don't follow a pattern, it's not going to work out. 458 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:22,640 Now I know back in the day when I was a kid, I remember I'd go to Walmart and my grandma, 459 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:25,040 she'd go back there, they'd have a whole rack full of patterns. 460 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:28,280 It'd be hundreds of patterns in there and you'd get that pattern and it might be a 461 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:32,440 dress and you'd lay that pattern out and it was this transparent paper so you could 462 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:36,800 see, okay, here's where everything needs to go, here's where you need to make this line 463 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:40,720 and here's where you need to cut this line and here's how you need to sew it together 464 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:45,040 and if you follow that pattern, then what would result would be something beautiful. 465 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:48,520 It'd be a beautiful dress or whatever you were making. 466 00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:53,520 Well, God's word is full of patterns that point us to Jesus Christ, patterns that show 467 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:54,840 us how to live. 468 00:29:54,840 --> 00:30:00,240 They're right here in front of us in black and white in God's word but the question you 469 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:05,200 have to answer today is are you going to follow the pattern? 470 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:09,520 Are you going to follow the pattern of living that God has set before you? 471 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:15,040 Are you going to follow the pattern of living of Jesus Christ, the way he lived, the things 472 00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:19,040 he said, the things he did, the way he treated people? 473 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:23,280 What a beautiful pattern for us to follow. 474 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:29,600 Scripture is full of patterns and instructions and guidelines that God calls us to follow 475 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:34,680 and when we follow the God's pattern, something beautiful comes from that. 476 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:37,000 We have a beautiful relationship with God. 477 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:39,800 We have a beautiful something about that. 478 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:41,200 There's a joy that comes from that. 479 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:42,760 There's beauty that comes from that. 480 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:49,280 When we follow the pattern of righteous living but when we don't follow the pattern of Scripture 481 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:54,940 and we begin to do things our way and we begin to do what we want when we want to do it, 482 00:30:54,940 --> 00:30:56,560 we make a mess. 483 00:30:56,560 --> 00:31:00,560 We have something that doesn't resemble the kingdom of God and the word of God in any 484 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:05,720 way and then we sometimes go out into the world and try to tell others about God when 485 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:10,920 the pattern of our life, the result of our life is not worth following. 486 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:15,920 So we want to be those who follow the pattern of God's word so that our life can be a pattern 487 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:19,960 for others to follow, a pattern that points people to Jesus Christ. 488 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:24,720 All of these things, so many of them we see in Scripture, are a copy and a shadow of what 489 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:31,500 was to come but Jesus is the reality and we see a glimpse of that today. 490 00:31:31,500 --> 00:31:36,000 We have more understanding of Scripture today because we have the privilege to see Jesus 491 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:41,040 Christ than many who come before us in the Old Testament but even still, even though 492 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:46,240 we have so much beautiful detail, we still only see a shadow of what is to come for all 493 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:47,920 of eternity. 494 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:51,320 But the more we begin to follow the pattern of living that is set before us, the more 495 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:56,800 we try to pattern our life after that of Jesus Christ, the more that that shadow begins to 496 00:31:56,800 --> 00:32:01,920 be filled out, the more details we can make out, the more we can understand the word of 497 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:04,580 God. 498 00:32:04,580 --> 00:32:10,600 The author of Hebrews wants his audience to know one truth and that is Jesus is better. 499 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:14,800 If we don't know that truth by the time that we get to the end of the book of Hebrews, 500 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:18,160 then either he didn't do a good job or I didn't do a good job. 501 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:22,520 But we need to know a truth, Jesus is better. 502 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:26,440 Our life needs to be patterned after Jesus. 503 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:31,080 Our decisions, the things we do, need to be focused on Jesus. 504 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:32,080 Let's pray. 505 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:37,040 Father God, we come to you today, we thank you for your good word. 506 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:45,360 God, I pray that we would recognize the reality of the risen Jesus, that we would know that 507 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:50,200 Jesus is so much better than anything else that we have ever seen or ever known. 508 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:54,320 God, maybe there are some today that do not know the reality of Jesus. 509 00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:56,000 I pray that today that they would. 510 00:32:56,000 --> 00:33:02,080 Maybe today, God, they've fallen into that trap of trying to be made right by their own 511 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:04,520 actions and their own works, dear Lord. 512 00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:09,560 But God, I pray that today that they would, they'd stop trying to do it on their own and 513 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:14,480 realize that Jesus has done everything that they need for them, dear Lord. 514 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:20,560 That he has offered a more perfect sacrifice, the most perfect sacrifice. 515 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:23,280 That he is seated at your right hand, dear Lord. 516 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:26,880 That he is victorious today, victorious over sin, God. 517 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:31,040 That's the one thing that we cannot overcome apart from Jesus. 518 00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:35,720 So I pray, God, that there are any that do not know who Jesus is today, that they would 519 00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:39,400 come to Jesus and put their faith and trust in Jesus this morning. 520 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:44,520 God, I pray that as we read your word, even the stuff in the Old Testament that might 521 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:49,200 be kind of tough to read, stuff that we say, God, why'd you give us all these details, 522 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:50,200 dear Lord? 523 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:52,400 They point us to Jesus. 524 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:56,720 I pray that we would never fail to see that, that everything in your word points us to 525 00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:57,720 Jesus. 526 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:02,040 God, I pray that everyone in here would be pointed to Jesus today. 527 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:06,680 That those who don't know you would repent of their sin and put their faith and trust 528 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:08,040 in Jesus Christ. 529 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:14,040 God, I pray that we would look at your word, that you would, we'd see the patterns that 530 00:34:14,040 --> 00:34:17,840 you call us to, the instructions that you give us, dear Lord. 531 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:21,200 That we would follow the pattern of living that you have laid out for us. 532 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:26,840 That we had followed the example that Jesus has given for us by giving his life on the 533 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:28,920 cross, dear Lord. 534 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:33,360 I pray, God, that maybe there's some in this room and they're yours and maybe they're struggling 535 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:34,360 in some way today. 536 00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:36,480 Maybe there's something going on. 537 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:38,880 Whatever it may be, dear Lord, I pray that they would seek you. 538 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:40,480 I pray that they would come to you today. 539 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:45,240 I pray that they would find joy and peace and strength in you this morning. 540 00:34:45,240 --> 00:34:49,400 God, I pray that your Holy Spirit would just work through these few verses that we have 541 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:50,400 read today. 542 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:53,880 That we would rejoice in who Jesus is. 543 00:34:53,880 --> 00:35:00,120 That we would be reminded, God, that you are the one who cleanses us through Jesus Christ. 544 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:03,280 You are the one who has provided for us through Jesus Christ. 545 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:08,400 God, I pray that you'd be a light for our life today and that even in this moment, God, 546 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:10,800 that our prayers would go before you, dear Lord. 547 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:14,240 I thank you for these words and I pray that you just would bless them. 548 00:35:14,240 --> 00:35:16,480 And I ask these things in Jesus' name. 549 00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:17,480 Amen. 550 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:27,960 Amen.