How Did You Get In Here?

Exodus  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
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Scripture Reference
Exodus 28:1—5.
Scripture Introduction
We have been going through the book of Exodus, where God has delivered His people out of slavery in Egypt.
And last week we looked at the Tabernacle, which was God’s sacrificial system of worship through which He cleansed the people of their sin, which enabled Him to dwell in their midst.
Only holy people can be in the Lord’s midst.
This morning we are going to see that only certain holy people can serve in the Tabernacle.
Scripture Reading
Exodus 28:1–5 ESV
“Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests. They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.
Prayer for Illumination
God…
Introduction
The king was astonished…
He had been planning his sons wedding day for months, and now everything was finally ready, but nobody was coming!
The king sent out his servants again to tell the invited guests the feast was ready…
but astonishingly, they all refused, each one making an excuse as to why they couldn’t attend.
This was the height of shame and embarrassment.
The king was furious!
He then commanded his servants to go out and invite anyone they could find.
It didn’t matter who you were, they invited everyone, good or bad.
Soon the hall was filled with guests, and the magnificent feast was underway.
The smell of the best foods of the kingdom filled the air…
the hall was decorated with the beauty that only a king could afford…
The king spared no expense to celebrate his son’s wedding.
The king could finally relax, as he looked around the room full of guests, beautifully dressed for this amazing occasion.
That is, until he noticed a man dressed in ragged clothes enjoying the festivities.
“How did you get in here?”
The band stopped playing, people stopped dancing, and all eyes were locked on the king as his words echoed through the hall.
The king walked toward him, and repeated his question,
“How did you get in here without wedding clothes?”
The man was speechless.
Since his new guests would not have had the proper attire for a royal wedding, the king had supplied wedding clothes at the door to all his guests.
Rather than accepting, this man purposely rejected the king’s gracious offer.
The invited guests had insulted the king by not coming, but this man insulted him to his face.
“Tie him up and get him out of here!”
The guests stood in astonishment as his servants tied his hands and feet and threw him out into the darkness.
As the doors were closed behind him, the king said, “Let the party continue!”
And the guests continued to celebrate this joyous occasion with the king.
Summary
This is a parable that Jesus told in Matthew 22 that I have simply reworded.
Jesus told this parable to show what heaven will be like.
The doors are open to all who would willingly come, but you must dressed appropriately.
Transition
This morning we are going to see that we must come to God through Jesus who is our great High Priest.
Through him we have:
access to God;
are set apart for God;
are holy before God.
Transition to next point…
We must come to God through Jesus, the great High Priest, because…

Through Jesus, we have access to God

EXPLAIN

What we learn from the instructions for building the temple, is that God’s dwelling/tabernacle is a picture of His majesty and holiness.
God is not common… neither is His dwelling place.
It is holy, as God is holy.
This is seen by the fact that though it is in the midst of Israel, it is separated by a curtain.
In the same way, those who serve as God’s priests are not to be common, but set apart and holy.
Not just anyone could come into the temple!
God gave the Israelites specific instructions for those who would serve the people as priests in His presence.
In order to serve God as His priest…

You must be chosen by God

Exodus 28:1 ESV
1 “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
Sacrifices had been made to God to this point by various people…
But now, God establishes a priestly line through Aaron and his descendants.
They did not appoint themselves to this position, but were chosen by God to serve Him as priests.
Not just anyone can serve God’s people as priest, they needed to be chosen by God.
But they could not come dressed any way they liked…
In order to serve God as His priest…

You must be clothed by God

Exodus 28:4 ESV
4 These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests.
God has a specific warddrobe that is exclusive to the High Priest.
Here is an image giving us an idea what these garments may have looked like.
Here is an image giving us an idea what these garments entailed.
The coloured circles beside each garment indicate what materials were used for each garment.
Yellow - Gold
White - Linen
Blue/Purple/Scarlet - Wool
Interestingly, these are all the same materials used in making the tabernacle.
These holy garments marked the High Priest as the distinct mediator who would serve the people of Israel in the Tabernacle.
First the priest would put on the…
Pants/Undergarments
This was to make sure their nakedness would not be seen.
Then the priest would put on the Tunic and the Belt/Sash
Then the Robe
The robe had woven pomegranates on it.
Echo back to the lush garden of Eden.
It also had bells on it… so that the priest won’t die when he enters the Tabernacle.
The Israelites waiting outside would have heard the bells and known the priest was still moving around in the Tabernacle performing the duties of the priest.
The Ephod was considered the most important garment.
It had two onyx stones, one on each shoulder, each one engraved with 6 names of the tribes of Israel.
The priest was bringing the people of Israel to remembrance before God.
The Breastpiece was the necklace with the 12 precious stones.
Each engraved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel.
Again a reminder that the priest is interceding on behalf of the Israelites.
Lastly, the priest wore a turban, with a golden plate/crown on it, with the inscription, “Holy to the Lord.”
Here is a rendering of what the priest might have looked like.
This is one of the best photos I could find.
Apparently nobody has tried to remake this photo within the last 20 years!
Summary
The priest was God’s chosen holy instrument,
and when the right man, would come dressed in the right clothes, and perform the right sacrifices,
God would accept their offering, and forgive their sin,
thus allowing God to continue to dwell among His people.

ILLUSTRATE

God was very serious about the priests following His commands,
which is why they were punished when they ignored God’s commands.
We have a few of these instances recorded for us in Scripture…

1. Nadab & Abihu

Leviticus 10:1–3 ESV
Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’ ” And Aaron held his peace.
We are not told what the “unauthorized fire” was that they offered to God, but it was not what was prescribed by God.
As God’s priests, they needed to be an example of holding God’s commands in high regard.
Because they did not do that, God’s fire consumed and killed them for their carelessness and lack of concern for His Word.

2. Eli’s Sons

1 Samuel 2:12 ESV
Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord.
This is a reminder to us that you can be “close to God” and not even know Him.
The priests were set apart for God, so they could not work by planting and harvesting.
For this reason, the priests were allowed to take a portion of some of the sacrifices that were offered by the Israelites.
This was God’s way of providing for them.
But Hophni and Phinehas were evil priests who ignored God’s Word, and unlawfully took portions of the people’s sacrifices, and also slept with women who were serving at the temple.
Because they too treated God’s Word with contempt, God killed them as well.
1 Samuel 4:10–11 ESV
So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Summary of Illustration
These two instances of God’s judgement show us how seriously God takes the office of priest.
Because of sin, only the right men, who came the right way were accepted by God.
Even then, the priests had to continually offer the same sacrifices, over and over again.
This leaves us waiting for a better priest, who will mediate a better covenant.

APPLICATION

I said last week that Jesus Christ is that better priest!
Now, we’ve already seen that a priest must be chosen by God, and God had chosen Aaron, and the tribe of Levi to be His priests.
Jesus comes from the line of Judah, so how can He be a priest?
Because He was chosen by God to be a better priest to usher in a better covenant.
Hebrews 5:5–6 ESV
So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
Melchizadek is a bit of a mysterious figure in the OT.
After winning a battle, Abraham meets Melchizadek, who is described as priest and king of Salem.
Melchizadek blesses Abraham, and receives a tithe from him, showing that he is superior to Abraham.
The writer of Hebrews uses Melchizadek as an example of type of Christ, foreshadowing His work as priest.
All of this took place before God instituted the priesthood that we are now learning about.
This shows us that God intended from the very beginning to replace the Levitical priesthood with something eternal and glorious.
So Jesus is the better priest because He was chosen by God,
but what about the priestly garments?
He had no need for the priestly garments, because He was perfect and sinless.
Hebrews 7:26–28 ESV
For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
Summary
Jesus has been appointed as our Great High Priest! He is the fulfilment of the priesthood!
We must come to God through Jesus, because through Jesus we have access to God!
Jesus is fully God,
and was chosen by God…
He was sent as a man and lived a perfect life…
He offered Himself as the once-for-all sacrifice…
and was raised from the dead…
And now He sits at God’s right hand, as our priest forever!
The writer of Hebrews tells us the wonderful implications of this…
Hebrews 7:25 ESV
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
We struggle with assurance of our faith because we are looking at our own sinfulness...
But when we look to our Great High Priest who has conquered sin and death, we can have confidence because through Him we have access to the Father!
Transition to next point…
The next reason we must come to God through Jesus, the great High Priest, because…

Through Jesus, we are set apart for God

EXPLAIN

Aaron and his descendants had been chosen by God as His priests, but before they could serve as God’s priests they needed to be ordained and set apart.
This would solidify them as God’s priestly line throughout all generations.
Exodus 29:1–9 ESV
1 “Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish, 2 and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour. 3 You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams. 4 You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 5 Then you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 6 And you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban. 7 You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. 8 Then you shall bring his sons and put coats on them, 9 and you shall gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.
God commands Moses to consecrate them… which would set apart Aaron and his sons as priests by God’s decree.
This was to be an ordination service where all the Israelites would come to acknowledge that only descendants of Aaron could serve as priests.
First, Aaron and his sons needed to be washed with water in front of the Tabernacle.
Then Moses would clothe them with most of the priestly garments.
Moses was then to pour anointing oil on Aaron’s head, and put on a few remaining items.
Through this ordination process Aaron and his sons have been officially ordained as priests to God.
Then God says… Exodus 29:9
Exodus 29:9 (ESV)
And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever.
This is significant for a few reasons:
We naturally tend to question authority.
The Israelites were certainly going to do that!
In Numbers 16 we read of Korah, who led a rebellion against the leadership and priesthood of Moses and Aaron.
In a dramatic judgement, God caused the earth to open and swallow up Korah and all who followed him.
God has made it clear who His priests are, and the Israelites were not to challenge that.
It’s also significant because through this ordination Aaron and his sons have been set apart for this work.
They no longer worked by planting fields, harvesting, raising farm animals, or protecting the people in the military…
Those roles were all legitimate and necessary… BUT
Thepriests were set apart to serve the people of Israel by bringing them before God, and giving them access to His presence and blessings.
Summary
Through sacrifice, Aaron and his sons are set apart as priests unto the Lord…
so that every area of their lives is to be lived to the glory of God.

ILLUSTRATE

Last night we had our LEMC Thanksgiving dinner here at the church.
It was a great evening as we enjoyed food and fellowship with you all!
Now, normally when we have church events that involve food, we use styrofoam plates. We did that last night.
This makes the job of the Food Committee much easier, since we can simply throw them away after we’re done.
NO DISHES!!!
But every once in a while, when we have more special occasions, we take out our finest china…
Our reusable plastic plates!
These plastic plates have their own cabinets, not to be mixed with the common styrofoam plates.
These plates are really not all that fancy, but we have set them apart for special occasions.
Maybe some of you actually have a fancy china cabinet, with fancy china in it that is valuable and special to you.
It is so special that it doesn’t go in the normal cabinet, with the rest of all the “normal” dishes.
It gets it’s own cabinet!
Maybe even from time to time, you take it out to use for special occasions.
You don’t use them for just any ordinary day, they are set apart for special use.

APPLICATION

Peter, writing to believers who were suffering for their faith, tells them that through their faith in Christ they have been set apart as well…
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
They are a priests?!?
This is incredible!
The priesthood was reserved for those God called, and they had to be consecrated and set apart.
Now, through the blood of Christ which gives us access to God, we too have been set apart as His priests!
This is a fulfilment of what God intended for His people Israel…
Exodus 19:4–6 (ESV)
4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;
6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
The Israelite priest was responsible to bring the people before God, so that He would forgive their sin, dwell in their presence and bless them.
The Isrealites were to walk in obedience to God’s Word, and through their good works shine as lights to other nations so that they would see how much greater God was than their so-called “gods”.
Now, through Christ, we have the same mandate!
For those who have placed their faith in Jesus, you are no longer outsiders.
… standing outside the curtain that separates you from the presence of God.
Rather, you have the very presence of God dwelling in you!
Through Jesus…
You have been set apart as His priest to bring those who are in darkness near to God that they may see the light!
Summary
Brothers and sisters, since we have access to God through Christ…
and have been set apart as His priests…
let us bring glory to God through helping others experience God’s presence and power.
Transition to next point…
We must come to God through Jesus, the great High Priest, because…

Through Jesus, we are holy before God

EXPLAIN

God had ordained Moses and his descendants as His priestly line, and set them apart as His servants.
But they are still sinful, and guilty before God.
Sacrifices need to made.
But what do the sacrifices accomplish?

A sacrifice atones for our sin

Exodus 29:10–14 ESV
10 “Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull. 11 Then you shall kill the bull before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting, 12 and shall take part of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar. 13 And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. 14 But the flesh of the bull and its skin and its dung you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.
Aaron and his sons too are sinners, but the bull dies in their place as a sacrifice for sin.
Through laying their hands on the head of the bull, their sin is transferred to it, and paid for by death.
What else does a sacrifice accomplish?

A sacrifice consecrates us

Exodus 29:19–21 ESV
19 “You shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, 20 and you shall kill the ram and take part of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and on the tips of the right ears of his sons, and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the great toes of their right feet, and throw the rest of the blood against the sides of the altar. 21 Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and his sons’ garments with him. He and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him.
Through the blood of the ram, they are made holy/set apart/consecrated for service to God.
Daubing blood on the right ear, hand, and big toe symbolically sanctified the ear to hear the word of God, the hand to do the work of God, and the foot to walk in the way of God. — John MacArthur
This is symbolic that the whole person was to be set apart in service to God.
What else does a sacrifice accomplish?

A sacrifice unites us to God

Exodus 29:22–25 ESV
22 “You shall also take the fat from the ram and the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of ordination), 23 and one loaf of bread and one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the Lord. 24 You shall put all these on the palms of Aaron and on the palms of his sons, and wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. 25 Then you shall take them from their hands and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering, as a pleasing aroma before the Lord. It is a food offering to the Lord.
Through eating this meal, Aaron and his sons become holy, and are fit for service to God.
We’ve also noted previously how there are times when God shares a meal with His people, which is a sign that there is unity and peace between two parties.
Summary
What we see in these verses is that even the priests who are set apart to serve God have sin that makes them guilty before God.
But the sacrificial system that God has put in place consecrates them, making them holy, and useful for service to Him.
Every area of their lives was to considered holy in service to God.

ILLUSTRATE

D.L. Moody shares about a professor who was telling the story of a man who had come to one of their church meetings.
After the meeting the visiting man came up and said with a bit of hesitancy,
“I would like to become a Christian.”
The professor could tell something was bothering him so he asked,
“Well, my friend, what is the trouble?”
The man was clearly uncomfortable, and did not want to share, but after he pressed him a bit more he said,
“The fact is, I have overdrawn my account” — this was his polite way of saying that he had been stealing.
The professor asked,
“"Did you take your employer's money?" "Yes." "How much?" "I don't know. I have never kept account of it." "Well, do you think you stole $1,500 last year?" "I am afraid it probably is that much."
The professor then said,
"Now, look here, sir, I don't believe in sudden work.
This year don't steal more than a thousand dollars. Next year don’t steal more that five hundred. Then, in a few short years, you won’t be stealing any at all.
If your employer catches you, just tell him you are in the process of working on it, and soon you won’t be stealing anymore.”
Moody, commenting on this story says,
My friends, the thing is a perfect farce! "Let him that stole, steal no more," that is what the Bible says. It is right about face. Take another illustration. Here comes a man, and he admits that he gets drunk every week. That man comes to a meeting, and wants to be converted.
Shall I say, "Don't you be in a hurry. I believe in doing the work gradually. Don't you get drunk and knock your wife down more than once a month?" Wouldn't it be refreshing to his wife to go a whole month without being knocked down?
Once a month, only twelve times in a year! Wouldn't she be glad to have him converted in this new way! Only get drunk after a few years on the anniversary of your wedding, and at Christmas, and then it will be effective because it is gradual!
Oh! I detest all that kind of teaching. Let us go to the Bible and see what that old Book teaches. Let us believe it, and go and act as if we believed it, too. Salvation is instantaneous.
I admit that a man may be converted so that he cannot tell when he crossed the line between death and life, but I also believe a man may be a thief one moment and a saint the next.
I believe a man may be as vile as hell itself one moment, and be saved the next. Christian growth is gradual, just as physical growth is; but a man passes from death unto everlasting life quick as an act of the will -- "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life."
Summary
What Moody is saying is that Christian growth is gradual, but that doesn’t give us an excuse to continue in sin!
Through salvation we have been purchased through the blood of Christ, and now have the power of the Holy Spirit living in us so that we can overcome sin!

APPLICATION

Jesus made a once-for-all sacrifice that has completely done away with sin.
Now anyone who places their faith in Him is cleansed and set apart for holy service to God.
Paul talks about this in his letter to the Romans…
Romans 3:21–22 ESV
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
Romans 3:23–25 ESV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
Through faith in Jesus Christ and His perfect sacrifice as our Great High Priest, we are cleansed and made holy before God.
The song “Before the Throne of God Above” beatifully describes the work of Jesus as our Priest…
VERSE 1
Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea A great High Priest whose name is love Who ever lives and pleads for me
VERSE 1 My name is graven on His hands My name is written on His heart I know that while in heav’n He stands No tongue can bid me thence depart No tongue can bid me thence depart
VERSE 2 When Satan tempts me to despair And tells me of the guilt within Upward I look and see Him there Who made an end to all my sin
VERSE 2 Because the sinless Savior died My sinful soul is counted free For God the Just is satisfied To look on Him and pardon me To look on Him and pardon me
VERSE 3 Behold Him there, the risen Lamb My perfect, spotless Righteousness The great unchangeable I AM The King of glory and of grace
VERSE 3 One with Himself, I cannot die My soul is purchased by His blood My life is hid with Christ on high With Christ my Savior and my God With Christ my Savior and my God
Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ…
We can have the confidence that we will one day be in God’s presence through Jesus, our Great High Priest.
Whenever Satan tries to get you to doubt that, look to Christ.
Strive for holiness, since He has set you apart as His priest to call on others to draw near to Him.
For those here this morning who have not trusted in Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.
God has sent out the invitation for the wedding feast for His Son.
It is open to anyone who wants to come.
but you must come dressed in the righteousness that comes through Jesus.
Or else He will say to you, “How did you get in here?”
If you would like to talk to someone about what it means to have your sins forgiven through Jesus, we would love to talk with you about that.
You can talk to one of us pastors,
fill out a connect card
connect on our website.
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