May I Can I

Worship: May I? Can I? Worship: May I...Permission Can I...Ability “May I worship?” Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb.4:16 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus Heb.10:19 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God. Exodus 29:44-46 Thy kingdom come , thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven Shouldn’t worship be here as it is in heaven? “Surely, that which occupies the total time and energies of heaven must be a fitting pattern for earth.” -Pau E. Billheimer The place where they serve is a sketch and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, Just as Moses was warned by God as he was about to complete the tabernacle. For he says, “See that you make everything according to the design shown to you on the mountain.” Heb.8:5 This was a symbol for the time then present, when gifts and sacrifices were offered that could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper. They served only for matters of food and drink and various washings; they are external regulations imposed until the new order came. Heb.9:9-10 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. Heb. 9:11-12 Ask most people why they don’t want to be Christians and they will tell you. They don’t have a problem with Jesus; they have a problem with Christians, Jesus’ priests. Ground rules for setting up “meeting places” between God and people 1.God wants freewill offerings “Tell the Israelites to take an offering for me; from every person motivated by a willing heart you are to receive my offering. Exodus 25:2 Do you want to be used by God? Do you want to be used by your wife/husband? Ground rules for setting up “meeting places” between God and people 2. God wants our hearts Everyone whose heart stirred him to action and everyone whose spirit was willing came and brought the offering for the Lord for the work of the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. Exodus 35:21 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Mt.22:37 You cannot argue a person into a relationship with God Think about this…What do they call the suffering and death of Christ? How serious is our approach to God? There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way that leads to death. Prov.14:12 Example: David and the ark (II Sam.6) Two reactions… Two Reactions And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. II Sam. 6:7 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” II Sam. 6:8-9 Where did they get the idea of transporting the ark by means of a cart? (I Sam.6) Why didn’t the Philistines die when they used a cart? He (David)said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.” I Chron.15:12-13 Whenever we give an offering to God, it should be the best we have When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty. Mal.1:8 “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations. Mal.1:14 Question to Ponder The only way to defeat Israel was to get God out of the camp. And the way to do that was to corrupt their worship. How do you think the enemy is corrupting worship today to keep people from accessing God?