God’s GPS for Salvation

Introduce topic with interactive object lesson using a compass

God gave His people a compass in the Old Testament to help guide them closer to Him.

This compass was the Sanctuary.

Purpose of the Sanctuary

The purpose of the sanctuary was to give understanding to God’s people.

Psalm 119:27 (AV 1873)

27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: So shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

Psalm 73:17 (AV 1873)

17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then understood I their end.

Psalm 77:13 (AV 1873)

13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: Who is so great a God as our God?

Who is the Way???

John 14:6 (KJV 1900)

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

When the Bible says that God’s “way” and understanding is in the sanctuary, we can know that the sanctuary points to Jesus!

Jesus and the Sanctuary

Here is an overview of the sanctuary:

How can all of this point to Jesus?

John 1:29 (AV 1873)

29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Hebrews 13:10–12 (AV 1873)

10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burnt without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

John 7:37–38 (AV 1873)

37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

John 7:39 (AV 1873)

39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive…)

John 6:51 (AV 1873)

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven…

Luke 1:10 (AV 1873)

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

Christ makes our prayers acceptable to God.

John 14:6 (AV 1873)

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

We pray to the Father through Jesus.

John 9:5 (AV 1873)

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Psalm 40:7–8 (AV 1873)

7 Then said I, Lo, I come: In the volume of the book it is written of me, 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: Yea, thy law is within my heart.

Just as the law of God was inside the ark of the covenant, so was the law of God inside Jesus.

Matthew 5:17 (AV 1873)

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

How did Jesus fulfill the law?

Romans 13:10 (AV 1873)

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Jesus is the Lamb of God (Altar of Sacrifice)

Jesus is the Living Water (Laver)

Jesus is the Bread from Heaven (Shewbread)

Jesus is the only Way to the Father (Incense)

Jesus is the Light of the World (Candlestick)

Jesus is the Law of Love embodied (Ark of Covenant)

Israel Walks Through the Sanctuary

Passover

Dead Sea crossing

Manna in Wilderness

Light to the Gentiles

Sweet Smelling aroma to God

Law Received at Mount Sinai

Our Walk Through the Sanctuary

The practical symbols of the sanctuary for the Christian walk.

Dying to self daily

Baptism

Daily Bible Study

Daily Prayer

Daily Witnessing by Example

Fulfilling the Law of Love by Receiving Christ in the Heart by Faith

Exodus 25:8 (KJV 1900)

8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

Matthew 1:23 (AV 1873)

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

The Sanctuary shows us how to dwell with God, just like Jesus shows us how to dwell with God.

Just as the Sanctuary was described as having a “pattern,” Jesus is our ultimate and perfect “Pattern.”

Jesus’ Journey Through the Sanctuary

Jesus left the presence of His Father in heaven (Most Holy Place).

He came to earth and lived a Spirit-filled life of witnessing (candlestick), prayer (altar of incense), and Bible study (shewbread).

He was baptized as our example (laver).

And then He was crucified as the sacrificial Lamb (altar of sacrifice).

Now He is seeking to lead us back home to heaven:

We must die daily to our old selfish nature (altar of sacrifice).

We must be baptized in the Spirit daily and be cleansed of our sins (laver).

We must live a Spirit-filled life of witnessing (candlestick), prayer (altar of incense), and Bible study (shewbread).

And the natural result of walking with Jesus is the fulfillment of the law of love (ark of the covenant).

Give Sanctuary handout