(adapted from a sermon by Mark Messmore)
SERIES: “DISCOVER THE LESSONS OF THE TABERNACLE”
TEXT: VARIOUS (Going to start with Ex. 25:1-9)
TITLE: “THE BASIN AND BAPTISM”
OPEN: A. This morning we start a series based on the preaching theme for this year
--“Discover the Lessons of the Tabernacle”
1. The Tabernacle was a large portable tent structure that served as the center of worship for the
Israelites as they traveled along their journey to the Promised Land
2. It was comprised of three main areas:
a. The Outer Court
--which was open to all when the correct sacrifices were brought
1). It was like a public meeting place.
--It’s dimensions were 100 cubit by 50 cubits: 150 feet x 74 feet = half a football field in
length and a fourth of a football field in width.
a). The fence around the outer courts was about 8 feet high joined together by rods over
which curtains of woven linen were draped
b). The curtains were 6ft. wide
--they were blue, purple and scarlet in color embroidered with figures of cherubim.
c). The entrance was always set up facing East.
2). Inside this Outer Court sat:
a). The altar of burnt offering
b). The washing basin
b. The Holy Place
--This is the area where the priests performed their daily duties
1). The walls were made of wooden boards covered on both sides with gold.
a). They were held in place by rods to give them support
b). The boards were about 16 feet high and 2 feet wide
2). Inside the Holy Place were:
a). The Menorah or candlesticks
b). The Table of Presence (Shewbread)
c). The Altar of Incense
c. The Holy of Holies
--It was an extension of the Holy Place – like a second chamber
1). No one went into The Holy of Holies except the High Priest
2). He only entered the Holy of Holies on one day of the year – The Day of Atonement
--It was here that the High Priest made the atonement sacrifice for all of Israel
3). The Holy Place and the Holy of Holies were separated by a very heavy curtain.
--It was made of thick blankets sewn together and supported by four pillars of wood
covered in gold and planted in silver sockets.
4). Inside the Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant
--where the blood of the atonement sacrifice was poured out on the Mercy Seat
B. Before we get started, you need to understand that he study we’re going to do on the Tabernacle
concerns a big theological word
--typology
1. Don’t be frightened or confused by the use of such a word
a. It simply means that something in the Old Testament had meaning for its day but also pointed
to something that would take on meaning when Jesus Christ came to earth
b. It means the recognition of Old Testament places, or events, or people as prefiguring, or
foreshadowing, the gospel as we find it in the New Testament
2. To understand the typology of the Tabernacle, we first have to put it into context for the
Israelites at that time
a. Ex. 25:1-9 – “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are
to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give. These are the
offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn
and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows ; acacia wood; olive oil
for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and
other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. Then have them make a sanctuary
for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly
like the pattern I will show you.”
--As you can see, the Tabernacle was not built according to any human design but according
to God’s precise design
b. The Tabernacle was hugely importance to the Israelites
1). The book of Exodus ends is with the completion of its construction
2). It describes that the glory of Lord descended upon the Tabernacle
3). Because the Tabernacle was portable, every time the people of Israel moved from one
location to another, the Tabernacle was set up in the center of the camp
4). Numbers chapters 2 & 3 gives extensive instructions for how the twelve tribes should set
up camp around the Tabernacle:
--Three tribes to the north; three tribes to the south; three tribes to the east; three tribes to
the west
5). God intended that the Tabernacle be central to the life of every Israelite
c. The pattern of the Tabernacle was followed when Solomon built the first Temple in
Jerusalem
d. We find some clues to our study in typology in the New Testament book of Hebrews:
1). Heb. 8:5 tells us that the earthly Tabernacle was just a copy of the heavenly one. That it
was “a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.”
2). Heb. 9:24 tells us that the earthly Tabernacle was a “man-made sanctuary that was only a
copy of the true one.”
3). The lessons of the Tabernacle are not only for our earthly life but shows us what worship
in heaven is about
--The book of Revelation lists heavenly pieces of worship that parallel pieces in the
Tabernacle
C. We’re going to start this morning by looking at the bronze wash basin in the Outer Court
-- Ex. 30:17-21 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for
washing. Place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it. Aaron and his
sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. Whenever they enter the Tent of
Meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the
altar to minister by presenting an offering made to the LORD by fire, they shall wash their
hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his
descendants for the generations to come.’”
1. Some of you more familiar with old KJV terminology might know this piece of Tabernacle
furniture as the Laver
a. The Bible gives no size requirements for the basin as it does for the other Tabernacle furniture
--Assumedly, it was pretty large because all 12 serving priests had to use it constantly during
their time in the Tabernacle
b. It was probably the height of the lavatories or sinks in our own modern bathrooms
2. It’s purpose is pretty well spelled out in the passage from Ex. Chapt. 30
a. Before the priests went or came out of the Inner Court comprised of the Holy Place and the
Holy of Holies, they had to wash their hands and feet
--Basically, before they did any of their duties, they had to wash themselves
b. Notice that it was not a suggestion – it was a clear command
--God says that they should do it so they would not DIE! It was something God was serious
about
D. Before we get too far in, I want to openly recognize a few things:
1. For some of you who might have grown up in a different faith tradition, you probably feel a little
nervous
2. When we are talking about baptism, there might be some very strong or emotional feelings that
surface
3. Unfortunately, it’s often the case that we don’t have much outside of our own personal
experience to give us evidence as to why we believe a certain way or why we feel and think the
way we do
4. If that description depicts you this morning, I just want to ask that you have an open mind and
heart and listen carefully to what this message is saying.
5. We’re going to compare the Old Testament basin to New Testament baptism and look at three
similarities between the two.
I. BOTH DEMONSTRATE THE SAME PURPOSE: CLEANSING
A. The scripture passage from Ex. 30 clearly demonstrates that purpose for the basin
--Before the priests did any of their “priestly” duties, they were commanded to wash their hands and feet
– coming and going; before they started and after they were done with each duty.
1. The cleansing done at the Tabernacle basin was a physical cleansing
a. The floor of the Tabernacle was dirt
--They had to wash the dirt from their feet
b. Animal sacrifices can be messy
--When they were finished, they had to wash the blood from their hands
B. Baptism, too, is for the purpose of cleansing but the Bible shows us that the cleansing itself is somewhat
different
--1 Pet. 3:20b-21a – [referring to Noah’s Ark it says] “In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved
through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt
from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.
1. So what is the cleansing that comes through baptism?
a. The concept of baptism did not begin with the church
--It was around hundreds of years before Jesus was born
1). A philosopher and poet by the name of Nicander includes a recipe on how to make pickles in his
writings
--He used the Greek word we translate as baptism in describing how to make pickles
2). The Greek word is baptize
a). The word means to dip, plunge, or immerse
b). It was a common everyday word in the Greek language of Jesus’ day
i. It was used to refer to washing and dyeing clothes
ii. It was used to describe someone drowning
iii. It was also used to describe a ship sinking
c). Sadly, the English word baptize is a compromise
--Instead of a direct translation, it was brought over in the KJV as a transliteration- when one
word is brought from one language directly to another
b. Not only was it a common word, it was a common practice
1). Numerous religions used practiced immersion as way to make a public declaration that you
were committing yourself to follow a new and different way than you’d followed before
2). It had the same idea – when you went under the water, you were washing away the old part of
your life and that you were going to be living a new life
c. Consequently, baptism wasn’t mystical act that couldn’t be understood
--It was a common word that expressed a common practice of washing the old part of your life
away and publicly committing to a new way
3. When the apostle Paul was sharing how he came to Christ, he relays to the audience in Acts 22:16 what
was told to him:
a. Paul was telling about his encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus
b. He is told to go to Damascus and wait for a man who would tell him what he needed to do
c. When the man, named Ananias, arrived, this is what he told Paul: “And now what are you waiting
for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.”
C. Since baptism is for cleansing, let’s look quickly at a question that I’m asked at various times
--Why don’t you baptize infants or small children?
.1. That question comes mainly from folks whose earlier faith backgrounds have taught a doctrine known
as “original sin”
--“Original sin” basically says that when a baby is born, it automatically inherits the sin of Adam even
before they’re able to walk, talk, or know right from wrong and is therefore guilty of sin as well
2. With that understanding, some churches practice what they call baptism often by sprinkling or
pouring the water with the intent of washing away the “original sin”
3. I just want to say: If that was the tradition you were born into…if that was the faith of your parents
PRAISE GOD for being raised in a home where your parents wanted to do what they understood to be
best in the eyes of God.
--Be thankful for that.
4. But if we look at church history, what we see is that the idea of original sin became part of church
tradition more out of the teachings of a man named St. Augustine than through any Biblical precepts.
1. And while we do believe that every individual is born with a sinful nature, which is the capability
and the tendency to sin, we do not believe that individuals are born inherently sinful.
2. Otherwise why would Jesus call a little child to him and say in Mt. 18:3 – “I tell you the truth,
unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven…”
3. We see the more clear biblical teaching that baptism is designed for those who are at an age of
accountability
--Since baptism is a declaration that says, “I was a sinner but now I want to be washed in the
blood of the Lamb and follow Jesus everyday for the rest of my life,” it should be made by
someone capable of making a reasoned and voluntary decision
4. Since it is Christ’s blood that cleanses us, where do we meet up with His blood?
--at His death
5. How do we share in His death as well as His resurrection?
--Part of the passage we used as our call of worship tells us: Rom. 6:3-4 – “Or don’t you know
that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were
therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from
the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
II. BOTH HAVE VALUE: THEY SHOW THAT CLEANSING COMES FROM GOD
A. The act of washing their hands and feet in the basin wasn’t something they decided to do on their own
--It was something prescribed by God.
1. When we look at the history of the people of God, every time they decide on their own how to
worship, they end up doing exactly what God DOESN’T want them to do.
2. God, wanting his people to know him – wanting Israel to see Him as their God – made it possible for
them to know – not to have to guess – but to know what He wanted.
a. The basin in the Tabernacle wasn’t pleasing to God because a couple of guys were sitting around
one day saying…”You know what would be great? It would be awesome if we just made a large
basin so that we can wash before we worship.?
b. The basin has value not because what man did…but because what God had already done.
B. The same is true of baptism.
1. By itself, baptism is no more than getting wet.
--It doesn’t count any more than another religious ceremony across the world
2. Baptism does not have value because it’s baptism.
a. The value of baptism is in the sacrifice of Jesus as He paid the cost for our sin that we would never
be able to pay.
b. Baptism has value because we put our faith in the One who called us to be baptized so that we can
have our sins washed away because of His sacrifice.
1). Eph. 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
2). Titus 3:4-7 – “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not
because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the
washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously
through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become
heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
III. BOTH HAVE IMPORTANCE: THEY ARE COMMANDS FROM GOD
A. If you’ll remember back toward the beginning of this message we saw how serious God was about the
basin
1. God told the priests to do it why
--So that they would not die
2. God commanded His followers to wash with the basin
--He gave corresponding consequences for both obedience and disobedience:
a. If the command was obeyed, there was life.
b. If the command was disobeyed, there was death
B. And what some of us have heard time and time again and what others of us may have never heard is that
Jesus calls each and every one who follows Him to be baptized.
--There are clear instruction from Jesus on this matter:
1. Mt. 28:19 – Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”
2. Mk. 16:15-16 – “15He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
C. Jesus considered baptism so important that, even though He did not need to be cleasned, He still
submitted to being baptized
--Mt. 3:13 – “ “Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.”
1. The Bible says that He did it to fulfill all righteousness.
a. Jesus didn’t need to be baptized – He was the perfect Son of God.
b. However, He did it as an example to us because and as an act of odedience because it was the right
thing to do.
2. Not only does Jesus make it a point to be baptized but in fact, this trek from Galilee to the Jordan
would have been a walk of 60 miles.
a. To get a perspective on that distance, imagine leaving church today, walking to Terre Haute and
then back to Martinsville.
b. It was so important to Jesus, He made at least a two day walk to get there and a two day walk back
to Galilee just to do what was right.
--What excuse can we make?
CLOSE: A. Several years ago the experts wanted to restore the famous painting by the Dutch painter
Rembrandt called, The Night Watch. It had hung for many years in Amsterdam without proper
protection, and had acquired a heavy layer of dust and dirt. As they cleaned the painting they
were astonished to find figures emerging from the shadows of the painting ... never really seen
before because of the layers of dirt. When the dirt was removed, suddenly the painting took on a
whole new brightness and detail. The dirt had hidden the magnificence of the creation of this
artist robbing others of the supreme joy of this masterpiece! Once cleaned, the artist’s creation
could be seen clearly for it BRILLIANCE!
1. Sin is like that in our own lives
--It mars the masterpiece that God has created
2. Are you ready for cleansing today?
B. Some of you may have some questions:
1. Some of you are asking, “What would my family think?”
a. And that’s an understandable question as some of your family members are in different faith
traditions than this one.
b. And while I can’t promise that it will be easy I believe that in time your family will grow to
respect that you followed the Lord’s leading for your life.
2. Some of you are wondering, “Are you saying that my dead grandmother who was a faithful
follower of God all her life, but was never baptized isn’t in heaven?”
a. And I want to assure you that’s not what I’m saying, as I’m by no means the judge of who
enters God’s kingdom.
b. But what I’d like to ask is that in this situation we consider not a deceased relative or
someone in Uganda who’s never heard this message…but instead ask ourselves, what are we
going to do with this now that we’ve heard it?
3. Some of you may be wondering, “Do I need to be baptized in your baptistery?”
a. And our response is that if you were baptized as a believer at an age of accountability into the
body of Christ you’ve already been accepted as a part of the greatest body in all of
time…there is nothing special our baptistery can do for you.
b. We do not baptize into the Martinsville First Christian Church…we baptize into Jesus Christ.
B. Many times I’ve been asked something that sounds like this: “When is the exact moment that a
person is saved in God’s eyes?”
1. Is it when we take their confession of faith? Is it when they climb into the baptistery? Is it
when they go down into the water? Is it when they come up out of the water? Is it when
they’ve lived a whole life faithful to Jesus?
--And really that’s a very difficult question to answer.
2. But in response I like to ask, “When was it that my wife Anna and I were married in God’s
eyes?”
a. Was it when we were standing at the altar? Was it when we said “I do”? Was it when the
minister said, “I know pronounce you Husband and wife?” Or was it when we physically
consummated our marriage?
--And I can’t tell you that I can pinpoint an exact moment in any of those instance
b. But here’s what I can tell you.
1). When on our wedding day I was committing my life to Anna, I wasn’t looking for
loopholes.
2). I wasn’t looking for discussion on, “What’s the minimum I can do and actually pull this
thing off?”
3). I was looking to do everything required and asked of me.
3. And when we commit ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ we shouldn’t be asking, “Do I
have to?”
--The question we should ask is, “God what is it that you want me to do?”
a. And as we look at the Scriptures it’s impossible to read them without seeing that Baptism is
something that God has placed a high value on and has commanded his followers to do it
b. So here’s what it comes down to:
1). If you’ve made a decision in your lifetime to follow Jesus - but never followed through in
baptism, you need to submit to God’s plan and be obedient.
2). And it’s not because I say so
--In fact, it’s not because any person says so but simply because it’s what God has called
you as a person who declares they want to follow Christ to do.
