Pressing Into His Presence Series

The Body is our Outer Court.

The Soul (mind, emotions, will) is in the Inner Court in the Holy Place.

The Spirit is represented by the Most Holy Place, the Holy of Holies.

When we come to worship, we go from natural to spiritual, from earthly to heavenly, from outer court to inner court and from flesh to Spirit. But where is the priest? You are the priest and your body is the Tabernacle.

The Priest was given the responsibility of guarding the gate to make sure nothing came in that was unworthy. If you had a sick lamb…….your offering was rejected. Nothing escaped the attention of the Priest, the guardian of the gate.

Today, you and I are the guardians of our Tabernacle. What do you allow in your Tabernacle that is unworthy of the Lord?

V. SERIOUS WORSHIP IS BEST ILLUSTRATED BY THE TABERNACLE.

There were 7 pieces of furniture in the Tabernacle, all of which remind us of Christ and also picture our worship experience in Christ.

(1)THE ALTAR OF BURNT OFFERING

When a Jewish worshipper came for worship, he brought his goat or lamb offering to the east gate. There he came through the gate and was met by the Priest. If the lamb or goat offering was accepted, the Priest took the life of the lamb and placed it on the Altar of Burnt Offering.

We enter His gates of worship by the blood of Christ’s offering.

JESUS is the only way to Heaven.

JESUS is the only one who pleased the Father perfectly.

JESUS is the only Name by which we can be saved.

JESUS is the only one who can allow us to see the Father.

(2)THE BRONZE LAVER

The next place of worship was the BRONZE LAVER where the Priest would wash his bloody hands before being able to go deeper into the Presence of God. Once we have trusted Christ, we have entered into the possibility of true worship. We come to God by the sacrifice of Jesus and then we have to examine our hearts before we go deeper into the Inner Court.

Mom used to call me for supper as I was out playing baseball with all of the neighborhood kids in Dallas. She would say, “Come for supper, Larry………it’s time to eat. And wash your hands before you come to the table!”

Before we can feast on the things of Christ in worship, we have to be clean. We have already been forgiven of all sins in Christ – past, present and future – and our sins are separated as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 139:1-13). Our RELATIONSHIP is sealed, solid and unchangeable. However, our FELLOWSHIP with Christ is static, daily and dependent upon our obedience. You can have a relationship with Christ and lose your fellowship. Lot did that very thing in the Book of Genesis (Gen. 19).

To restore our fellowship, we don’t need to be saved all over again and have a complete bath! (John 13). We need to “confess” (agree with God) on the things in our lives that do not belong. That is cleansing. And that is absolutely necessary for genuine worship.

(3)THE TABLE OF SHOWBREAD

The Priest is about to go into the Most Holy Place. It is said that some Jews called the gates to each section of the Tabernacle by a nickname – the Way, the Truth and the Life. Scripture does not indicate this, but it does tell us that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). As the Priest enters into the Most Holy Place, he might look down at the bottom of his garments and remember the bells sewn into his clothing. Why were they there? The bells were there to let the people outside know that the priest was alive and ministering in the Tabernacle and God had accepted their offering. If God refused their offering, He would kill the priest. A rope was tied to his leg to drag him in case that happened! I’m sure glad I didn’t pastor in those days!