Sermon Tone Analysis
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Opening prayer, dedication
Music ministry
Sanctuary
379 Take My Life and Let It Be (1,3,5,6)
Holy is Our God
Word of God
Message: “A Holy Place”
As I read our core text preparing for this message, I was struck
In my ESV Bible the section title was “The Earthly Holy Place”
Throughout the text I kept seeing how a godly life intersects with this description
As we go through this text, I hope you will see how many of our daily living activities are addressed and represented
Let’s learn together about “Our Earthly Holy Place”
In the ESV, our text in Hebrews 9:1 began like this
Cool, rules for worship and an “earthly place of holiness”
In full context, I actually prefer the New American Standard rendering which says Hebrews 9:1
Even in the FIRST covenant, reminds us that even now, under the second covenant (NT) we have some rules
There were and ARE rules for what the NASB calls “divine worship” AND the earthly SANCTUARY
Not all “worship” is “divine”
When we worship an athlete, even our kids or political character, that isn’t divine
It’s also not “divine” to worship a priest or pastor, whether they are a celebrity or not
There are standards and rules for what we call “worship”
What does “worship” mean?
Worship is the awed response to the saving acts and praiseworthy character of God.
It is way too common for people to become so enamored with other people
political, entertainment or even religious
That they essentially worship them
Because they are in awe of their very existence
To be in their presence is beyond words
Some people are even in awe of a style of preaching or singing in church
Yet, true “worship” must be an “awed response to the saving acts and praiseworthy character of God”
That final word, “sanctuary”, is important
Sanctuary.
Translation of two Hebrew words, kodesh and mikdosh, both of which are derived from the verb “to be clean” and/or “to be holy.”
Wouldn’t you agree that we all need a place to be holy and set apart from the filth of the world?
That’s what this passage is about
That what Grace Church is supposed to be
A place set apart to be clean and holy
A place where the darkness of the culture is not welcome
Yet, all who are damaged by that culture are welcome to come and be transformed
It’s that transformation that is our focus today
Hebrews 9:1 refers back to Exodus 25:8
That beautiful song “Sanctuary” is perfect here because it talks about how WE are to become a sanctuary
To recap just in the first verse of Hebrews 9
We see rules for true divine worship
We also see rules for creating a “earthly sanctuary”
The NASB calls it “earthly sanctuary” or “an earthly place of holiness” in the ESV
Now, before we continue with the text as it describes the physical temple/tabernacle or what we would call church
Let’s look at what it would have looked like
We’re going to see a series of images of the Tabernacle around 1450 BC
After they were freed from Egyptian slavery
The first image is for scale
These were NOT small places
The description is detailed and involved.
The “tent” is actually the tabernacle as described in Exodus 26:1
Not only a simple tent
A tent sectioned off with multiple layers and curtains
This was NO SMALL affair
Specific layers and specific colors and design
I’m not going to re-read the whole passage
We do need to be aware of the complexity
The next image shows the overall layout
Can you imagine coming into church
The outer gate opens
Then you pass the slaughter table
Then the burn pit
Of course you would need to clean up before the temple
Clean your hands and feet
That’s brazen laver in the tabernacle
a wash basin
The text then goes on to describe the “cherubim of glory” which is to be overshadowing the mercy seat
The cherubim is a heavenly being who serves God
Let’s just say it was complex, beautiful and specific
Let’s take a minute to look at the Tabernacle in closer detail on the screen (leave up until I say so)
Tabernacle note
As you work your way from the outer gate into the Ark, there is division
The final area is called the Holy of Holies
Actually these are the effective layers
Outside
Courtyard
Where sacrifices were made
Then the cleansing area
Then through the Outer veil to Holy place
Which included incense
This is where the priests performed all their ritual duties
Finally through the Veil to the Holy of Holies
A place where only the High priest would go once a year
Only after sacrificing animals for unintentional sins of the people
The people NEVER entered this area
Only the High Priest went all the way in
Now we have the meat for today
It is the Holy Spirit who provides the understanding of the true purpose of the sacrificial system
All the description in the beginning of Hebrews 9 is of the first tent, not the entire tabernacle infrastructure
We have to look elsewhere for that detail
That description was of the first covenant
We are under the New Covenant because Jesus has already come the first time
Since Jesus came and died on the cross
That’s when the ultimate sacrifice was made
Now Believers experience the powers of the “coming age”
That was referred to back in Hebrews 6:5
The “first section” the one where animal sacrifices took place,
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