The New Covenant Continued
Notes
Transcript
Q: What makes our worship pleasing to God?
Q: To what degree does orderliness and regulations help us worship in a way pleasing to God?
Q: To what degree might orderliness and regulations hinder our worship?
1 Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place. 3 Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail. 6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, 7 but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10 since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.
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What’s the goal? What is the author saying we should want or need?
To be perfect. (vs. 9)
Access to the Holy of Holies. To be with God. (vs. 8)
What is it that we want when we come to worship?
What lesser things (good things) threaten to crowd out the greatest things when we come into the gathering?
What’s the incomplete here? Where’s the not yet in the tabernacle?
What’s required for this worship to be maintained?
Continual outward cleansing.
In the time of Christ there’s a common culture understanding of being unclean… What’s a similar cultural understanding we might point to that might keep us from coming to God?
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
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Christ doesn’t need man-made means to obtain eternal redemption!
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Where is this cleansing taking place?
What’s this cleansing for?
serve = worship
