Participants: Pr. Taj Pacleb
Series Code: ROHB
Program Code: ROHB000013
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00:39 Our message is entitled "Path to the Throne of God."
00:43 We're gonna find out how we can be 00:45 ready to see our Lord. 00:47 Face to face. 00:49 So I invite you to take your Bible 00:50 and open with me to our first opening verse 00:53 found in the Book of Proverbs 4 00:56 and notice with me in verse 18. 01:00 The Bible says "But the path of the just 01:04 is as the shining light, that shineth more and more 01:09 unto the perfect day. 01:11 The way of the wicked is as darkness 01:15 and they know not at what they stumble." 01:18 Here we find the wise men describing two pathways. 01:23 The path of the just and the way of the wicked. 01:28 And every single one of us in this room 01:30 and everyone in the world is walking on 01:32 one of these two pathways. 01:35 There is no third path. 01:36 There is no neutral grounds, friends. 01:38 Today, we are either walking the path of the just 01:42 or the way of the wicked. 01:43 The question is, which path are you walking on right now. 01:47 The Bible tells us that the path of the just 01:50 is like a shining light. 01:52 A light that shines more and more, 01:55 brighter and brighter, clearer and clearer 01:58 and this path leads to the perfect day. 02:01 Whereas the way of the wicked is a dark path. 02:05 And those who are walking in stumble, 02:07 and they'd know not what causes them to stumble 02:10 because this way is a way of darkness. 02:14 Now, friends, I don't about you, 02:15 but I want to walk on the path of the just, amen? 02:17 So we want to look into path and find out 02:20 what is this path anyway. 02:23 And what does it mean to walk upon it. 02:24 Well, friends, let's first identify 02:27 who walks on the path. 02:29 It says it's the path of the just. 02:31 And that word just literally means to be made right. 02:37 And the only way we can be made right 02:38 in the eyes of God is through the blood of Jesus. 02:41 So if this is the path of those who have been 02:43 washed in the fountain of Jesus' blood, 02:46 but we also know according to Romans 1:17 02:49 that the just shall live by faith. 02:53 So this is a path of those who are seeking 02:56 to walk by faith and not by science. 02:59 In other words, this is a path of faith. 03:02 It's not a literal path, but it's a journey of faith. 03:07 A path, brothers and sisters, implies that there is movement. 03:11 Isn't that right? From one place to another. 03:14 So this shows that our faith 03:16 must continually be on the move. 03:18 Never stagnant, never complacent, 03:20 never in the same place because only as we move forward, 03:24 upward and onward on the path 03:26 will the light begin to shine more and more, 03:29 brighter and brighter on to the perfect day. 03:32 And, friends, the perfect day is the time of perfect clarity. 03:36 It's the day in which we see the light in all of its fullness 03:39 without any layer of darkness separating us from the light. 03:44 And so what exactly is and when is this perfect day? 03:48 Oh, friends, in order to find out 03:49 what the perfect day is, 03:50 we first must define what the light is. 03:52 And so notice how the Bible defines the light 03:54 in the Book of 1 John 1:5. 03:57 Please, write it down. 03:59 1 John 1:5 tells us, "This is the message 04:01 which we have heard from Him and declare to you, 04:04 that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." 04:09 As we move forward in the path of the just, 04:11 the path of faith, the light of who God is becomes 04:13 clearer and clearer to us. 04:15 And notice what specifically about God 04:17 is so bright like a life. 04:19 Notice, now in 2 Corinthians 4:6. 04:22 The Bible says, "For God, who commanded the, 04:25 what, light to shine out of darkness, 04:29 hath shined, where, in our hearts, 04:32 to give the light." 04:33 But what is the light? 04:35 "The light of the knowledge of the glory of God 04:39 in the face of Jesus Christ." 04:42 So the Bible tells us clearly in this passage 04:44 that the light represents the knowledge of the glory 04:49 or the character of God. 04:52 In other words, as we continue 04:53 to move forward in our faith, 04:56 we will receive fresh revelations of who God is. 04:59 His wonderful and beautiful character will become 05:03 clearer and clearer to us. 05:06 And the Bible says that the light of the knowledge 05:07 of the glory of God is found in the, what again? 05:10 The face of Jesus Christ. 05:12 But the Bible says that no one can see God's face and live. 05:15 He's not talking about the literal face so much, 05:18 but what do we have in our possession that reveals to us 05:23 the knowledge of who God is. 05:25 What do we have that reveals 05:26 the light of the knowledge of the glory of God? 05:28 We have the Bible. Can you say amen? 05:30 And so we see that the light 05:32 that it is shining on the path of the just 05:34 is simply the knowledge. 05:35 It is the what? 05:37 Or the understanding of who God is 05:40 his glory is character for us. 05:42 And so if the light is the knowledge of who God is 05:44 then the perfect day is the day 05:47 that we see our God face to face, 05:49 it's the day when that which is perfect is come. 05:52 And that which is impart, shall be done away? 05:56 In other words, the perfect day 05:57 that the path leads to you is none other 05:59 an resurrection morning. 06:00 It's the day that Jesus comes again. 06:02 Oh, friends, do you realize that we are on the path 06:04 that leads to seeing God face to face? 06:08 A path that leads to the very throne of God. 06:11 And, friends, it's one thing to be on the path today, 06:13 but it's a totally different thing to make it 06:15 to the end of the path because Jesus said, 06:17 "He that endures to the end are going to be saved." 06:21 You see, I believe that all of us-- 06:22 Perhaps most of us if not of all us 06:24 are all at least standing on the path right now. 06:27 Friends, you are on the path, but God wants us 06:28 to move forward in faith 06:30 so that we can be ready for the end. 06:32 Can you say amen? 06:33 And if we want to make to the end, 06:35 we must pray this prayer in the Book of Psalms 25:4-5. 06:39 The Bible tells us, "Show me thy ways, oh, Lord." 06:43 Let's read it together. 06:44 Teach me thy paths. 06:48 Lead me in thy truth and teach me, 06:52 for you are God my salvation, on the do I wait all day." 06:58 So, friends, if we want to make it 06:59 to the end of the path then we first must understand 07:02 what the path is. 07:03 And so we are praying, "Lord, show me your way. 07:06 Teach me this path. 07:07 Help me to understand the way that I should walk 07:12 so that I can be ready to see you face to face." 07:14 And, friends, when we ask God, 07:16 "Lord, show me your way, your pathway." 07:18 Here is the answer in Micah 6:8. 07:22 Here is the answer of the God. 07:23 We are praying, "Lord, show me your way." 07:24 And notice the answer. "He has shown thee, O man." 07:28 Show me your way, Lord. Okay. 07:30 "He has shown thee, O man, what is good. 07:33 And what does the Lord require of you, 07:35 but to do, what, justly, and to love mercy, 07:40 and to walk humbly with thy God?" 07:42 Friends, to walk humbly with God implies 07:46 that there is a path that you are walking upon, 07:47 isn't that right? 07:49 And as we walk humbly with our God 07:50 on the path of the just, the path of faith, 07:52 in this path God actually teaches us to do justly 07:57 and to love mercy and the reason 07:58 why is because this pathway that leads to the perfect day, 08:02 the throne of God is a path of justice and mercy 08:07 because this path actually leads us-- 08:10 Listen, friends, it leads us to a place 08:13 where the justice 08:14 and the mercy of God kiss each other. 08:19 It is the path that teaches us about of character of God. 08:22 And, friends, God's character is mercy and justice. 08:25 Two sides of the same coin. 08:27 And this is what the path teaches us. 08:29 Oh, Lord, show me your way. 08:31 And He shows us the just and the merciful path. 08:34 In fact, notice how was the Bible describes 08:36 the path of faith. 08:37 In Isaiah 35:8, the Bible says, 08:40 "And an highway shall be there." What kind of way? 08:43 Oh, friends, God's way is a lot higher than 08:45 the low ways of the world. 08:46 Can you say amen? 08:47 It is the highway, not just the highway. 08:49 It says, "And it shall be called The way of holiness, 08:53 the unclean shall not pass over it." 08:55 So this path that is like a shining like 08:57 the least of the perfect, it's a highway, 09:00 but it's also a holy way because this pathway leads 09:04 to a Most Holy Place with the justice 09:10 and the mercy of God kiss and embrace. 09:15 Friends, I want to walk this path. 09:16 How about you? It's a highway. 09:19 It's a holy way. 09:21 And where do we see this pathway 09:23 illustrated for us most clearly and most fully? 09:26 Where do we see? Who is the way, friends? 09:29 Back to God. Jesus said in John 14:6. 09:32 Write it down. 09:33 "Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, 09:38 and the life, no man comes to the Father, 09:40 accept but by Me." 09:43 And so Jesus said, "I am the path. 09:46 I am the way that leads humanity back to God." 09:49 And so when you look upon Jesus, 09:52 you see the way of holiness. 09:54 You see the just and the merciful path. 09:58 You see in the life and death of Jesus Christ, 10:03 the way to God, the truth about God 10:07 because He embodies the very life of God in the flesh. 10:12 Can you say amen? Jesus is the way. 10:16 But before Jesus came in the flesh, 10:19 God wanted those who live in the Old Testament 10:21 to understand the pathway as well. 10:23 Can you say amen? 10:24 And so before Jesus came, 10:26 God illustrated this path of life, 10:28 this path of faith in other way. 10:30 He illustrated to us. 10:31 How? Notice Psalms 77:13. 10:34 The Bible says, "Thy way, O God, is where? 10:39 In the sanctuary, who is so great a God as our God?" 10:43 So before Jesus would come in the flesh, 10:45 God thought humanity about this path of faith in the sanctuary. 10:49 The Bible says that the way of God 10:51 or the path of God is right there in the sanctuary. 10:55 And, friends, it's interesting. 10:57 When you look upon this sanctuary-- 10:59 You actually see a literal path. 11:01 The sanctuary where God's visual aid to teach man 11:04 about the plan of salvation through types and symbols 11:06 and it's all about Jesus 11:07 and is master plan for humanity. 11:10 You see in Old Testament times, if we wanted to be forgiven, 11:12 forgiveness and atonement was found in the sanctuary, 11:15 that's where salvation was realized. 11:18 And so this is what happened. 11:19 The sanctuary has three main parts to it. 11:22 How many? Three main parts. 11:24 The first part was the outer court. 11:26 The second was the Holy Place. 11:28 The third was the Most Holy Place. 11:29 And these three parts of the sanctuary represents 11:33 the three faces of the Christian salvation experience. 11:38 In the first part, the outer court, 11:39 there were only two articles of furniture. 11:41 How many? 11:43 As the sinner entered into the outer court, 11:45 entering into the gates, into the outer court, 11:48 the first things, his eyes laid upon 11:50 the first piece of furniture was the Altar of Sacrifice. 11:54 Now, friends, that altar represents Jesus cross. 11:58 Because it was there that the lamb's blood was shed 12:01 and it was consumed by the fire. 12:03 And, friends, that altar represents the cross. 12:06 And how Jesus would shed his blood and be consumed 12:09 by the fires of our sin for us. 12:12 And that was the first thing that sinner saw. 12:13 Friends, I'm so greatly 12:14 that when we begin the path of faith, 12:16 we don't start so much with the alone holiness of God. 12:19 We start at the foot of cavalry's cross. 12:21 Can you say amen? 12:22 God meets us right there at the altar 12:25 and that's where the blood is shed 12:26 and apply to our lives, but then after the altar, 12:29 after the cross, there is still more of the path 12:32 to walk on, isn't there? 12:33 Do you see it? 12:34 You see, most Christian churches 12:35 have stopped right there at the altar. 12:37 They preach about the cross, the grace of the love of God 12:39 which is a good thing, but then I'll realize 12:41 that there is more of the path, 12:42 there is more to it than just that, friends. 12:45 God wants to bring us even further. 12:47 And so after the Altar of Sacrifice was a laver, 12:51 a brazen basin that was called the laver filled with water, 12:55 it's there that the priest would washed himself 12:57 before going into the holy place and that laver represent, 13:01 represents the second part. 13:03 After we experience the cross, it represents baptism. 13:05 Represents what? 13:07 You see, when we accepted Jesus sacrifice 13:09 on the cross in our hearts, then next logical step 13:12 is the outward expression of baptism that symbolizes 13:16 the inward experience of dying to self 13:19 and living to Christ. 13:21 And so we find the Altar of Sacrifice, 13:24 the Cross of Jesus then the laver representing baptism, 13:27 and it's in the first part of the sanctuary 13:29 in the outer court 13:30 where we experienced the first face of salvation 13:33 which is what we call, justification. 13:35 What do we call it? 13:37 And justification has nothing to do 13:39 with our behavior or our works. 13:41 It has everything to do with the spilt blood of Jesus 13:44 and the right of baptism. 13:45 This is where we are forgiven. 13:47 It's the work of a very instant when we believe in the blood 13:50 and the waters of baptism. 13:52 Can you say amen? 13:53 So it's in the outer court 13:54 that we are justified, justified, 13:56 never sinned before. 13:59 We are completely cleansed and forgiven. 14:02 But then there was the second part of the sanctuary itself, 14:05 and that was the Holy Place. 14:07 It was called the what place? 14:08 And in the Holy Place, 14:09 there were three articles of furniture. 14:11 How many? 14:12 On the side of north was the Table of Showbread 14:14 representing Jesus the bread of life. 14:16 But also, how that man should not live by bread alone, 14:19 but by everywhere that proceeds in the north of God, 14:21 that Table of Shove bread represents Bible sign. 14:24 And opposite to that was the golden candlestick 14:26 filled with oil that caused the fire to burn brightly 14:29 and that candlestick also represents Jesus 14:31 the light of the road, but also how God is calling us 14:34 to be the light of the road as a witness for Him. 14:37 The candlestick represents witnessing and evangelizing, 14:40 evangelism letting all light shine before men. 14:44 And, friends, the only where we can let the light shine 14:46 as if we're on fire. 14:47 And the only way we can be on fire for Christ is 14:50 if we're fueled with the oil of the Holy Spirit, 14:53 they cause the fire took burn brightly for him. 14:56 And, friends, not only will people see the glory of God 15:00 on our countenance in our life, 15:01 but they are also fueled the warmth of Christian 15:04 love coming from us. 15:06 Can you say amen? 15:07 You see, the candlestick is just opposite 15:09 to the Table of Showbread. 15:10 Do you know why? 15:11 Because you can't have one without the other. 15:14 You can't just eat the word of God 15:15 and not share the word of God. 15:17 Can you say amen? 15:18 And if you are trying to witness without eating the word of God, 15:20 what are you witnessing of? 15:22 You are just entertaining people, 15:24 making people feel good about themselves. 15:26 You see, the Table of Showbread is the substance 15:30 that makes our witnessing, our like effective in the world. 15:34 Can you say amen? 15:35 And so we must study the word of God 15:37 and share the word of God at the same time 15:40 because if all we do is eat the word of God, 15:43 we become spiritual obese. 15:45 We're just keeping it to ourselves. 15:47 And, friends, we can't share the word of God 15:50 unless we eat it. 15:51 When we eat the word of God, 15:53 it's then we'll have some spiritual calories 15:55 to burn brightly for him. 15:57 Can you say amen? 15:58 And so, Bible study and witnessing go hand in hand. 16:01 And then you have the third article 16:03 furniture in the Holy Place. 16:04 It was the Altar of Incense just before the veil. 16:08 And that Altar of Incense represents prayer, 16:10 ascending to heaven, 16:12 mingled with the sweet incense of the righteousness of Christ 16:15 because our prayers by themselves stink, friends. 16:19 And that's why Jesus said when we pray, 16:21 "We need to pray in His name." 16:23 Can you say amen? 16:24 And that's more than just saying His name, 16:26 that means praying in His character through his merits. 16:29 You see it is the life of Christ, 16:31 the incense of Christ's righteousness 16:33 that makes our prayers a sweet smell in the nostrils of God. 16:37 And so we find in the second part of the sanctuary, 16:39 in the Holy Place, we find prayer, 16:42 Bible study and witnessing. 16:44 And, friends, these three things 16:46 are things that we need to do every single day. 16:50 And by the way, the priest would go into the Holy Place everyday. 16:53 It was the daily service. 16:54 And as we do this every single day, 16:56 it's only then that we experience the second face 16:58 of the salvation experience after justification, 17:01 now in the Holy Place, we experience sanctification. 17:05 What word was that? 17:06 And the word sanctification means, 17:08 to set apart for a holy youths. 17:12 As we pray, study the Bible and witness, 17:14 we will becoming sanctified. 17:16 God is making us and recreating us into His holiness. 17:19 This is not the work of an instant. 17:21 This is the work of a lifetime as we do this day by day, 17:25 the Lord changes us and transforms us 17:28 into His own beautiful character. 17:30 Can you say amen? 17:31 And so don't just stop at the altar, friends. 17:33 Go into the Holy Place, study the Bible, pray and witness. 17:36 Do this every single day and the Lord Jesus will sanctify us 17:40 and then we find the third part of the sanctuary 17:42 which is the Most Holy Place. 17:46 And in the Most Holy Place, 17:48 there is only one article furniture. 17:49 It was called Ark of the Covenant. 17:52 It was like, just like piece of furniture, 17:53 overly with gold on inside, on the outside. 17:55 On the inside, it contained the Ten Commandments, 17:58 the holy law of God. 18:00 Just above the Ten Commandments was a solid slab gold. 18:03 It was called the mercy seat because on the mercy seat 18:07 sat the Shekinah Glory which was the visible 18:10 manifestation of the glory of God between the two angels. 18:13 And, friends, it was in that place that God's throne was. 18:19 It was in the Most Holy Place where the 18:21 justice of God's law was revealed. 18:23 But also the mercy seat, the mercy of God was given. 18:27 That's the place where justice and mercy 18:30 kiss each other. 18:32 And so when we say, Lord, show me your way. 18:35 He shows us to do justly and to love mercy. 18:39 And where does He teach this? 18:41 In the Most Holy Place. 18:42 In the other words, friends, it's in the Most Holy Place 18:44 where we have the clearest view 18:46 of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. 18:49 And as we go into the Most Holy Place by faith, 18:51 it's then we experience the third face of salvation, 18:54 and that is what we call glorification. 18:56 What is it called? 18:58 It's the time that we are glorified. 19:00 We were made at one with God. 19:02 It's the time where Jesus blots out our sins completely. 19:06 I and you, and you and me, Jesus says, 19:08 were glorified in Jesus Christ. 19:11 It's the place where God writes His holy law 19:13 in our hearts and minds 19:14 with a new covenant promise is realized and experienced, 19:18 it's the place where we sit with Jesus on His throne 19:21 as an over comer just as Christ overcame 19:24 and sat down with his Father on his throne. 19:27 That's glorification. 19:28 Now, friends, let me break it down. 19:29 The first part of the sanctuary, the outer court, 19:32 that's the place where we have listened 19:34 where we have been saved, 19:37 past tense, from the penalty of sin. 19:40 We have what? 19:42 Been saved from the penalty of sin. How? 19:44 By the blood of the lamb and by the waters of baptism. 19:47 We've been saved from the penalty of sin which is death. 19:50 But in the Holy Place, that's where we are being saved, 19:54 present tense, from the power of sin. 19:57 As we study the Bible, pray and witness God is saving us. 20:01 In the process of saving us from the power of sin our lives, 20:05 as we gain victory through Bible study, 20:07 prayer and witnessing. 20:09 Are you with me? Yes or no? 20:11 And then in the third part of sanctuary, 20:12 the Most Holy Place, that's the place where we will be saved, 20:16 future tense, from the very presence of sin 20:19 as Jesus blots it out from the sanctuary 20:22 and comes back to take us to our heavenly mansion. 20:25 Can you say amen? 20:26 And so we see the way of God is found in this sanctuary. 20:30 There is a path, brothers and sisters. 20:31 And by the way, the sanctuary now and it teaches us 20:33 about the true way of salvation, 20:35 but it teaches us about many other doctrines. 20:37 But I want you to- I want you to notice, 20:39 where does the light shine the brightest 20:44 in the path of the sanctuary? 20:46 In the, which place? 20:47 In the Most Holy Place. 20:51 And, friends, did you notice? It's interesting. 20:53 That the farther away you get from the Most Holy Place 20:58 is the farther away you get from the light. 21:01 And the farther away you get from the light, 21:03 the darker it becomes. 21:06 But question. 21:08 Where does God want us to be in relation to the sanctuary? 21:12 Does He want us to be far away from Him? 21:15 Where is God want us to be, in which place? 21:17 In the Most Holy Place in his very presence. 21:21 Can you say amen? 21:22 And, friends, when you read the Bible and studied, 21:24 you notice that when God first created man, 21:28 man began in the Most Holy Place 21:33 in relation to the sanctuary. 21:35 You see, the Garden of Eden was the Most Holy Place 21:39 because there was no sin there. 21:41 And God was able to find face to face communion 21:44 and fellowship with His children 21:46 without any layer of darkness separated. 21:48 In other words, Adam and Eve were able to dwell 21:50 in the presence of the Shekinah Glory. 21:53 This is where God wanted us to remain, friends, 21:57 in His presence. 21:59 And notice the experience of Adam and Eve 22:01 in the presence of God. 22:03 In Genesis 2:25, it says, "And they were both." What? 22:07 "Naked, the man and his wife, and were not." 22:12 Friends, they were naked in the presence of God, 22:15 but there was no shame in that nakedness. 22:18 And the question is why? 22:20 Because there was no sin. 22:22 You see, brothers and sisters, 22:23 sin is what brings guilt and shame, 22:26 but they were naked without any shame. 22:28 And another reason is because while they were naked 22:30 in a very real way, at the very same time, 22:33 they were also clothed in a very real way. 22:38 Do you know what they were clothed with? 22:40 They were clothed with the light of the glory of God. 22:45 How do we know? 22:46 Because the Bible tells us so. 22:48 Notice what it says in the Book of Psalms 8:5. 22:50 Please, write it down. 22:51 It says, "For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, 22:55 and hast crowned him with." What? 22:58 Friends, when God made us, the Bible says he crowned us 23:00 with and glory and honor, but who is glory. 23:03 The glory of God and the honor of God. 23:06 Man at his creation was covered 23:08 and crowned with the glory of God. 23:09 It's a glory of light. 23:11 In fact, notice in Psalms 104:1-2, it says, 23:13 "O Lord my God, thou art very great, 23:16 thou art clothed with." What? 23:18 Honor and majesty. 23:20 Who covers thyself with light as with a--" 23:24 So the Bible says that God is covered and clothed 23:27 with a garment of light. 23:28 And when God made man, He made him in His own image 23:32 which shows very clearly that from the beginning 23:35 man was naked of artificial garments, 23:39 but he was clothed with the garment of light 23:41 which represents the glory of God. 23:43 In other words, they began 23:44 with the light was shining the brightest 23:46 in the very presence of God. 23:49 The Garden of Eden was a most holy garden. 23:53 This was God's original desire for the human race. 23:57 In the presence of God, naked, 23:59 but no shame in that nakedness. 24:02 And if that makes sense, would you please say amen? 24:05 But, friends, we know that this perfect relationship 24:07 didn't last very long. 24:09 Bible tells us in the third Chapter of Genesis, 24:11 that the tempter came and told 24:13 lies about the character of God, the glory of God. 24:16 And as result of listening of the lies of Lucifer, 24:20 the inducements of the serpent. 24:22 The distractions of the devil 24:24 we find that Adam and Eve broke God's law 24:27 and joined Lucifer in rebellion against God. 24:30 And, friends, what happened to the glorious light 24:32 that enshrouded when they sinned. 24:35 Notice what happened. 24:37 They were cut off and cast out into the darkness. 24:41 The Bible says in Isaiah 59:2, 24:44 "But your iniquities have." Then what? 24:46 "Separated you from your God. 24:48 And your sins have hidden His face from you, 24:52 so that he will not hear." 24:55 Because of sin, man could no longer 24:56 find face to face fellowship with his maker. 25:01 Sin had made man unfit to dwell 25:03 in the presence of the Shekinah Glory, 25:06 even as God comes to investigate, 25:08 Adam and Eve begin to feel very uncomfortable. 25:10 They begin to hide from the presence of God. 25:12 You see the light of the glory of God 25:14 was overwhelming to them. 25:16 Why? Because sin has caught the-- 25:19 Caused the light to go out in darkness. 25:23 And the Bible tells us that Adam and Eve 25:25 knew that they were naked. 25:28 Well, I thought that they were naked before. 25:30 What does it mean that they-- It says that 25:32 they knew that they were naked and now they have shame. 25:34 Why? 25:35 Because that light that in shot of them, departed, 25:38 they were cut off from the source of light. 25:40 And now Adam and Eve in the human race 25:42 are cast out into the darkness 25:45 and now there is shame in that nakedness. 25:48 The glory of God departs and ever since then, 25:52 mankind has been living in the night of separation from God. 25:58 We have been living in a time of gross darkness. 26:00 Now, friends, think about it. 26:01 If the light represents the knowledge of who God is, 26:05 then darkness which is the opposite would represents what. 26:08 The ignorance or not knowing really who God is. 26:14 But I'm thankful that God did not leave us in the darkness. 26:17 The Lord came and provided coats of skin 26:20 to cover the nakedness of our first parents, 26:23 but even though they were forgiven of their sin. 26:25 Bible says that God evicted them from the Garden of Eden. 26:29 And, friends, this was not an active judgment. 26:31 It was an act of mercy to expel men from Garden of Eden. 26:35 Do you know why? 26:36 Because if man would've partaken of that tree of life. 26:39 They would have been immortal sinners. 26:42 And so God was trying to protect them 26:44 from being in the sinful condition 26:47 throughout the ceaseless ages. 26:49 Not only that, but if they were to remain 26:52 in the presence of God. 26:53 Eventually, they would have been consumed 26:56 by the glory of God. 26:57 And so this was not an act of judgment. 26:59 It was an act of mercy because the Bible says, 27:01 "It is of the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed." 27:04 Can you say amen? 27:06 You know, some people say, "If God is real, 27:08 let me just see Him right now. 27:09 Let Him reveal Himself to me. 27:11 If God is real, I will see it. 27:12 Well, I'll believe it when I see it." 27:14 And you know thank the Lord that 27:15 God does not answer that prayer. 27:18 Because if God would answer that prayer 27:21 and just revealed Himself to us, physically what would happen? 27:24 We will be consumed by the sin of our lives. 27:29 The presence of God would be a consuming fire towards the sin 27:32 and we will be destroyed with that sin. 27:34 And so now they are evicted 27:36 eastward from the Garden of Eden. 27:38 You can read that in Genesis 3:24. 27:40 And so "Now where is man in relation to the sanctuary?" 27:43 Where is man now? 27:45 We began where? 27:48 Well, friends, help me out this morning. 27:49 We began in the Most Holy Place. 27:54 But now we can longer dwell in the presence of the light. 27:57 So where is man in the sanctuary? 27:58 We are all the way out here in the dark. 28:02 Out there, faraway from the light. 28:04 And by the way, friends, it's interesting. 28:05 This was the eastern gate. 28:09 Mankind is cast out into the darkness, 28:12 but God wants us to live in the light, 28:14 but God has a problem. 28:17 His problem is this. 28:18 How would God bring man back into the Most Holy Place 28:22 without man being consumed by the power of his presence? 28:26 You see, God's problem is this. 28:28 How would he save the sinner without saving the sin? 28:33 And how is he going to destroy the sin 28:35 without destroying the sinner? 28:37 The only way to do this, is to separate the sin 28:43 from the sinner. 28:45 But how would God do this. 28:47 How would he bring us back into the most? 28:50 What is the solution to the problem of sin? 28:54 Jesus is the answer for the world today. 29:00 Above Him, there is no other. 29:02 Jesus is the way. 29:06 What way? 29:07 The way back to the Most Holy Place. 29:10 He is the way back into the Shekinah Glory. 29:14 The way back to the throne of God. 29:17 As I now notice, 29:18 Jesus would come to separate sin from the sinner. 29:21 And notice in Malachi 4:2, a messianic prophecy 29:24 concerning the first coming of Jesus. 29:26 The Bible says, "But unto you that fear my name 29:29 shall the Sun of righteousness." What? 29:32 "Arise with healing in his wings." 29:36 The Bible likens the first coming of Jesus to the sunrise, 29:40 and as the sun rises from the east, 29:43 gradually dispelling the darkness of the night so too 29:46 when Jesus would come into the world. 29:47 He would not come in all of His glory, 29:49 but rather He would hide His glory in human flesh. 29:55 The light of the universe would step down 29:58 into the darkness of our lives. 29:59 And, friends, the reason for this-- Because, friends, 30:01 when you think about it, what happens if you're in darkness? 30:04 You fall asleep in the darkness. 30:07 And then someone comes in and turns on the light, 30:11 how do you feel? How do you respond? 30:14 You start to yell. Isn't that right? 30:15 Turn off the light! 30:18 And, friends, what's worst than that is sleeping 30:20 when the light is on, right? 30:22 Some of us are sleeping right now when the light is on. 30:25 God have mercy upon us. 30:26 If someone is sleeping next to you, shake them, amen? 30:29 Amen. 30:30 Say, my brother, my sister, you don't want to miss this. 30:34 You see, when you're eyes are accustomed to the darkness 30:37 and someone turns on the light 30:39 in all of its fullness, it's blinding. 30:41 Isn't that right? 30:42 It's overwhelming. You want to turn and hide from it. 30:44 And so instead of God coming in all of His glory, 30:47 He would come and hide the glory of His character 30:51 in human flesh. 30:52 And He would come as the sunrise, gradually 30:56 getting brighter and brighter, and clearer and clearer 30:59 to reveal the light of the knowledge of the 31:01 glory of God in healing doses, 31:04 so that our eyes might be able to adjust to see the light. 31:10 And notice how His coming is described in the Book of John 1. 31:14 Please, turn there with me. 31:15 In John 1:1, it describes the first coming of Jesus 31:20 to the light coming into the world. 31:22 Notice what the Bible says. John 1:1. 31:25 The Bible says, "In the beginning was the Word, 31:29 and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 31:32 The same was in the beginning with God. 31:34 And all things were made by him, 31:35 or without him was not any thing made that was made. 31:38 In him was life, and the life was the, what, light of men." 31:44 You see the life of God. 31:48 The light of God was reviewed in the life of Christ. 31:52 And then it says in verse 5, 31:53 "And the light shines in darkness, 31:56 and the darkness comprehended it not." 31:57 Verse 9, "That was the true Light, 32:00 which lighteth every man that comes into the world." 32:03 You see, friends, because of sin, 32:04 we are cast out into the darkness. 32:06 And so Jesus would come with all-- 32:08 With the light of the glory of God. 32:10 He would come to shining in the darkness of our world, 32:13 but here's the next question, friends, 32:14 as we think about the sanctuary. 32:16 Where did Jesus come from in relation to the sanctuary? 32:20 Where did He come from? 32:22 Well, friends, the Bible tells us 32:24 that He came from the throne of God. 32:27 He came from the bosom of the Father 32:29 and guess where that is. 32:30 Notice in John 16:28, the Bible tells us. 32:34 Where Jesus came from? 32:36 John 16:28. Please, write it down. 32:40 Jesus says, "I came forth from the, who? 32:44 Father. 32:46 And I am come into the world. 32:49 Again, I leave the world, and go to the Father." 32:52 So notice, friends, Jesus is telling us where He came from. 32:55 I have come from the Father into the world. 32:58 I mean, after He is finished with His working in the world, 33:00 He would then go back to the Father. 33:02 And, friends, where is that in relation to the sanctuary? 33:05 Where is the Father strewn? 33:07 It's in the Most Holy Place. 33:10 And so do you see, friends, Jesus came from 33:13 where the light was shining in all of its fullness. 33:16 He is the Shekinah Glory, friends. 33:19 And so we see the path of just, 33:21 the least of the throne of God, we go forward, 33:24 but Jesus went backward, down the path. 33:29 He came from the Most Holy Place 33:32 and he would come all the way down to the 33:34 outer court which is the symbol of the world 33:37 and there we see Jesus at the laver of baptism. 33:42 In AD 27, as Jesus is baptized by John in the River Jordan, 33:48 to begin his public ministry. 33:51 He came from the Father, and now begins his ministry at the Laver 33:55 and he begins to preach and he preaches 33:57 about the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Light, 34:00 but people still did not understand 34:03 the mission of the messiah. 34:05 They're looking for messiah. 34:06 They would give them earthly light, earthly glory. 34:09 Didn't realize that Jesus came to give spiritual light 34:11 and spiritual glory. 34:13 And so Jesus had to go beyond the Laver, friends. 34:17 Going to Laver was good, but it wasn't good enough 34:20 for us to really see through the darkness of the night. 34:24 So we see Jesus coming a little bit closer to us. 34:26 And in John 8, we see Jesus teaching in the temple. 34:30 And by the way, He is teaching in the outer courts 34:34 of the earthly temple. 34:36 When suddenly you remember the story, 34:38 a woman was brought to him, 34:42 a woman that was caught in a dirty sin 34:45 in the act of committing adulatory. 34:48 And so after Jesus dealt with her accusers, 34:51 he then said to the woman, "Neither do I condemn you, 34:55 go." 34:57 And sin no more. 34:59 Friends, you know what Jesus was doing in that story? 35:02 She was trying to reveal to the human race. 35:05 What it's like in the Most Holy Place? 35:09 He was trying to tell the world, 35:11 "Don't you see this is what its like in my Father's presence? 35:15 The mercy seat is the throne not of judgment, 35:19 it's a throne of grace." 35:23 Friends, it's interesting. 35:24 He said in John 8:12, he said, 35:26 "I am the light of the world. 35:30 He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, 35:33 but shall have the light of life." 35:34 He was saying, "Don't you see this is what 35:36 its like in the Most Holy Place? 35:37 Don't you want to follow me? 35:38 Come with me back into that Most Holy Place experience, 35:42 so that you could have the light of life." 35:46 The Shekinah Glory in the flesh trying to show us 35:52 what God is really like. 35:54 But still people did not understand 35:57 the mission of the messiah. 35:59 The darkness was so dense, people were blinded, 36:03 the light was shining, but they could not see it. 36:06 Why? 36:08 Well, friends, question. 36:09 What was it that brought about the night of separation? 36:12 What exactly was that that brought the 36:14 darkness in the first place? 36:16 What was it, friends? Tell me. 36:17 It was sin. 36:19 Sin is what brought the darkness. 36:20 The misapprehension of God, 36:22 the confusion of God's character and the ignorance of his love. 36:25 It was the darkness of sin. 36:27 And so-- And one of us to truly see the light, 36:29 the Lord Jesus has to remove the darkness of sin. 36:34 And, friends, in order to remove the darkness of sin, 36:37 he had to go past the Laver of baptism. 36:41 In order to get rid off the darkness of sin, 36:43 he had to go all the way to the alter 36:50 where the lamb is slaying. 36:53 Because there's only through his death 36:57 that sin can be removed from our lives. 37:02 And so we see Jesus, friends, faraway from the Shekinah Glory 37:07 at the Laver of baptism, 37:08 then he goes all the way to the altar. 37:09 Remember, friends, where does-- Where do we meet God? 37:13 At the altar. 37:15 The first thing that sinner sees when he entrances the gate 37:17 is the altar, it represents the cross 37:19 where the Lamb of God would takeaway the sin of the world. 37:26 And, friends, remember, the farther away you get 37:30 from the Most Holy Place, what happens? 37:32 The darker it becomes. 37:35 And so Christ went out into the darkness of our sins. 37:40 We see the suffering lamb in the Garden of Gethsemane. 37:43 And, friends, it was a cold, dark night. 37:46 And for the first time in eternity, 37:48 the weight of the world sin 37:50 is being laid upon the sin bearer, Jesus Christ. 37:55 Not only the sin, but the guilt and the shame 37:58 and the condemnation that comes with sin 38:00 is all being laid upon Jesus all at the time. 38:04 Now, friends, one sin is heavy for us to carry, 38:06 but can you imagine the sin of the entire human race? 38:11 Past, present and future sins, all laid upon Christ. 38:15 Can you imagine how heavy it was? 38:17 The guilt he felt the condemnation, 38:19 it was so dark, friends, and it was so heavy. 38:24 That the capillaries in his pores begin to burst open 38:27 just like a grape being crushed under someone's foot, 38:30 the blood begin to flow. 38:32 It was as if the very life of God was being squeezed 38:35 that of Christ because the wages of sin is death. 38:39 The Bible says the life is in the blood. 38:41 And, friends, Jesus has eternal life. 38:43 Friends, as the blood flows from His pores, 38:45 it's as if eternal life is leaving Jesus 38:51 because of sin. 38:53 The sin that I have chosen, the sin that you've committed. 38:57 Well, friends, he took our place. 39:00 It was the cold, dark night and he-- He was on the ground, 39:04 wrestling by himself with the powers of darkness. 39:07 One writer describes it in these words. 39:09 "Jesus felt that by sin. 39:10 He was being separated from the Father 39:12 and the gulf was so broad, so black and so deep 39:15 that his spirit shutted before it. 39:17 Again the son of man was ceased with super human agony 39:20 and fainting and exhausted. 39:21 He staggered back to the place of His former struggle, 39:24 again he was prostrated to the earth. 39:27 His suffering was even greater than before. 39:30 The Cyprus and the palm trees 39:32 were silent witnesses of his anguish 39:35 and from there leafy branches dropped heavy dew 39:38 upon his stricken form as if nature wept over its author 39:43 who was wrestling alone with the powers of darkness." 39:49 Nature seems as weeping for Christ 39:51 what the disciples were sleeping on Christ. 39:54 Friends, we look at the disciples 39:56 in the midst of this crisis. 39:57 It represents a sleeping church 39:59 that is fast asleep in complacency 40:02 in lukewarmness in a time of a terrible crisis 40:06 when there should be watching and praying, 40:07 the disciples are sleeping. 40:09 Oh, friends, can you imagine 40:10 how this broke the heart of God? 40:12 At the very movement when Jesus needed us the most 40:15 and the very moment when he longed to know that 40:18 we are praying for him, 40:19 when he longed to hear word of encouragement, 40:21 when he long to know that we appreciate it. 40:23 Something about a sacrifice, we were sleeping on Him. 40:26 Friends, I'm so thankful that when we need Him the most, 40:30 He never sleeps on us. Can you say amen? 40:33 He was all alone by himself, friends, 40:34 forsaken of God and forsaken of men. 40:38 Drinking the cup of wrath of God for us. 40:43 And, friends, he was in the darkness at the altar. 40:46 And after he submitted himself to the will of the Father, 40:49 it's then the Judas came and betrayed Jesus with a kiss. 40:53 And, friends, do you remember what Jesus said to Judas? 40:55 Notice in the Book of Luke 22:55 it says, 40:59 "This is your hour, and the power of--" 41:03 Friends, where was Jesus? 41:05 Fall away from the Shekinah Glory. 41:08 All the way at the altar. 41:09 And, friends, he hung upon the cross for three hours. 41:12 And, friends, for the exact time that Jesus was on the cross, 41:14 guess what happened. 41:15 Matthew 27:45 says, 41:17 "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness 41:22 over all the land unto the ninth hour." 41:25 Friends, what we're seeing here is amazing, 41:26 we see Jesus taking our place, He is dying in our darkness. 41:32 Why? 41:33 So that we could live in His light, 41:38 so that we can go back to the Most Holy Place. 41:41 So that we can be back in the Shekinah Glory. 41:44 Oh, friends, 41:45 the cross was the dark period of this world's history. 41:49 It was one of the darkest because, friends, 41:52 when you look upon the cross, 41:54 you see humanity at their worst crucifying, 41:59 their creator. 42:01 How low can we gone? 42:03 Humanity at their worst crucifying the one 42:05 that loved them more than anything else. 42:07 But, friends, at the cross 42:08 not only do we see humanity at their worst, 42:10 we also see divinity at its best a God of love 42:14 who'd embraced the world that would reject Him 42:17 and spit in his face. 42:18 Oh, friends, it was dark, 42:20 but the darker the night, the brighter the light shines. 42:26 Because, friends, what does the light represent? 42:28 The knowledge of the glory of-- 42:31 Friends, even though it was dark, 42:32 it was so bright, you know why? 42:33 Because at the cross, 42:34 we see in clear bright rays who God is, 42:37 the heart of God for he human race. 42:40 We see God demonstrating for the human race, 42:42 this is how much I love you. 42:45 This is how valuable you are to me. 42:49 This is the great length I would go to save you. 42:52 Oh, friends, do you see Jesus 42:53 never once live for Himself. 42:56 He only lived for others. 42:58 He gave and gave and gave 43:00 until there was nothing left to give. 43:02 The Bible says that he emptied himself. 43:07 He even gave His garment. 43:09 He hung on the cross naked, friends, 43:12 so that we could be covered. 43:14 The garments of His righteousness. 43:17 Oh, friends, who are you and who am I 43:18 that we would live our lives for ourselves. 43:21 How can we be so selfish when our creator, 43:25 the one that deserves all things never wants to live for Himself? 43:28 He only lived to give, friends. 43:32 And, friends, at the cross 43:33 we see the light of God shining upon us. 43:37 Friends, never ever, ever again doubts, 43:40 the love of God. 43:42 You are the most valuable thing in the universe. 43:45 And, friends, I'm so great for the Jesus did not stay there. 43:48 Can you say amen? 43:50 We don't serve a dead God, but a living Christ. 43:53 He was resurrected from the tomb. 43:55 And remember, where would he go after that? 43:57 Remember Jesus said, 43:58 "I come from the Father to the world. 44:01 And then I leave the world and go back where." 44:04 So from the cross, where would He go? 44:06 He would go back into the Holy 44:08 and then into the Most Holy Place. 44:10 Bible says in Hebrews 12:2, 44:11 "He endured the cross, despising the shame, 44:14 and has set down at the right hand of the, what, 44:17 the throne of God." 44:18 In the words, he would now from the altar, 44:20 he would go now go back into stopping at the laver 44:23 which also represents resurrection 44:25 because baptism is also a symbol of resurrection. 44:27 And from His resurrection for laver, 44:29 he would now go into the holy place 44:31 to inaugurate His heavenly ministry. 44:33 And, friends, this is where God's throne was at first. 44:37 And then Bible tells us in Hebrews 6:19-20, 44:41 "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, 44:44 both sure and steadfast, 44:45 and which enters into that within the veil. 44:49 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, 44:51 even Jesus, made an high priest forever." 44:54 And so Jesus would then go into the Most Holy Place. 44:59 Beginning his special interceding in cleansing work, 45:02 we understand that he did this in year 1844 45:05 according to Bible prophecy. 45:06 At first, the holy place. 45:07 You can read that in Revelation 4 and 5. 45:10 That's the holy place, Ministry of Christ. 45:11 The inauguration that happened after the resurrection, 45:13 but then in 1844, 45:15 he was stepped into the Most Holy Place 45:17 beyond the veil beginning his special cleansing work. 45:20 And the Bible says that he is our forerunner. 45:22 The one that goes before us and we follow. 45:24 Don't you see from the altar he goes to laver, 45:27 then to the Holy Place, then to the Most Holy Place? 45:29 And now he calls us come, 45:31 follow me whether so wherever I lead you. 45:35 And, friends, we have the privilege, 45:37 of following Jesus by faith 45:41 into the Most Holy Place experience. 45:42 Can you say amen? 45:44 Because of our understanding of the sanctuary, 45:47 we know exactly where Jesus is 45:50 and what Jesus is doing. 45:52 He is calling us come into the secret place 45:54 of the most high so that we might abide 45:56 under the shadow of the Almighty God, 45:59 and that's the knowledge that we have 46:01 because it's in the Most Holy Place 46:02 that the light is shining in its clearness. 46:05 And even though, Jesus is in heaven for us, 46:09 there is still another dark period 46:11 that was to come after the cross. 46:13 It's known in history as the Dark Ages. 46:17 The what ages? 46:19 And do you why the Dark Ages was so dark? 46:21 It's because the Medieval Church, 46:24 made it illegal to read or own the Bible. 46:28 And, friend, the Bible says in Psalms 1:19, 46:30 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, 46:33 and a light unto my, what path." 46:37 The path of the just. 46:39 That's like a shining light. 46:40 And so if we get rid off the light of God's word, 46:43 what do you have as a result. 46:44 You have the Dark Ages. 46:48 And not only that, but the reason 46:49 why the Dark Age was so dark 46:51 is because the medieval church did away with the light 46:53 that was shining in the sanctuary. 46:55 Every article of furniture 46:57 and every truth there in was replaced with a counterfeit. 47:00 You see, friends, during the Dark Ages, 47:02 the Medieval Church got rid off the Altar of Sacrifice 47:04 and they replaced it with penance and human works. 47:09 Shedding your own blood 47:11 and teaching you can save your self 47:14 by shedding your own blood 47:15 and giving offerings to the church. 47:17 They got rid off that Altar of Sacrifice 47:19 and thus the light began to become dim. 47:22 Not only that, but they got rid off the laver 47:24 which represents baptism 47:26 as the church began to sprinkle incense. 47:28 The truth of baptism was abolished 47:30 and replaced with the counterfeit. 47:32 Not only that, but during the Dark Ages 47:33 they got rid off the Table of Showbread 47:35 representing the word of God 47:36 and they replaced God's word, 47:37 the bread of life with human teachings, 47:40 opinions and traditions, 47:42 that part of the past was removed 47:43 and the light began to be dimmer. 47:46 And that God rid off the candlestick of evangelism 47:48 and he replaced it with inquisitions 47:50 and crusades forcing people, 47:52 evangelizing by force and by the stake. 47:56 And so they removed the candlestick of evangelism 47:58 and a counterfeit was set up in its place. 48:01 Not only that, but they got rid of the altar 48:02 of incense representing prayer 48:04 as prayer to God was replaced 48:05 by confessing your sins to a man a priest 48:08 and confessionals 48:09 that part of the path was removed 48:11 and the light was got even more dim. 48:14 And they even got rid of the Ark of the Covenant. 48:16 The law of God replaced with the traditions of the church. 48:19 Sabbath replaced with Sunday worship 48:22 and the glory Shekinah of God replaced 48:25 with the glory of man, of priest and popes. 48:28 You see, the reason why the Dark Ages was so dark 48:30 is because the trench-- 48:31 Sanctuary truth message 48:33 was almost nearly extinguished. 48:36 Now praise God 48:38 that the light will always prevail 48:40 an overcome the darkness. 48:42 Can you say amen? 48:43 As I want you to notice what God did? 48:44 We're almost finished, friends. 48:45 In Isaiah 58:12, 48:48 God prophesy that He would have 48:50 some reformers of the path. 48:52 The Bible says, "Thou shalt raise up 48:53 the foundations of many generations, 48:55 and thou shalt be called, 48:56 the repairer of the breach 48:59 and the restorer of paths to dwell in." 49:03 What path? 49:04 The path of the just. 49:06 That is like a shining light, 49:07 that shines more and more into the perfect day. 49:09 God is saying that he is going to have some people, 49:11 so men and women are faith that would restore the path, 49:14 restore the breach, repair it. 49:16 These are restorers or reformers. 49:20 These are the two pathfinders 49:23 that will restore the path. 49:25 That was almost destroyed in the Dark Ages. 49:27 So what did God do? 49:29 God rose up some pathfinders after His own heart, 49:32 some reformers who'd restore. 49:33 God rose up Martin Luther 49:35 and the Lutheran church 49:37 to restore the Altar of Sacrifice 49:39 as Luther began to teach 49:40 and preach that we are not saved by our own works, 49:44 but we are saved by faith in the grace of Jesus Christ. 49:47 His emphasis was salvation by grace, 49:50 by faith in God's grace. 49:51 And so God used Martin Luther 49:53 and the Lutheran church 49:54 to restore the Altar of Sacrifice 49:56 back into its proper place. 49:58 That part of the path was restored 49:59 and the light now began to be little bit brighter, 50:02 then God rose others like, 50:04 Roger Williams and John Smith 50:06 and the Anabaptist movement 50:08 to restore the laver of baptism. 50:09 As they be on to teach and preach the Baptist 50:11 was not sprinkling influence, 50:12 but by immersing adults. 50:15 That part of the path was restored. 50:16 God used the Baptist movement to do it. 50:18 And so the light began to shine a little bit more 50:21 and we are brought even closer 50:22 back to the Shekinah Glory 50:24 and then God rose up the Waldenses 50:25 and the John Wycliffe and amongst others to restore 50:28 the Table of Showbread representing Bible study 50:30 as they began to teach that the Bible 50:32 and Bible alone is the soul rule of authority, 50:36 that part of path was restored. 50:38 The light began to shine even more 50:39 and now we are brought even closer to God. 50:42 And then God rose up others. 50:44 Like John Calvin and Presbyterian movement 50:48 who restored the altar of prayer 50:50 as their special emphasis, their special message. 50:53 John Calvin began to teach that we need to pray 50:55 in order to have a personal relationship with God, 50:57 in order to grow up in his likeness. 50:59 Prayer is an essential element. 51:01 And so used the Presbyterian movement 51:03 to restore that piece of furniture 51:06 and that part of the path was restored 51:09 and the light began to shine even more 51:11 and then God rose up John and Charles Wesley 51:13 and the Methodist Movements 51:15 to restore the candlestick of evangelism. 51:17 As they began to teach and preach 51:19 that we ought to live holy lives, 51:21 theirs was the holiness message. 51:23 And that's the way that we let our light shine 51:25 as witnesses in the world. 51:27 People ought to be able to see 51:29 a difference in the way that we live our lives. 51:31 And so God used the Methodist Movement 51:33 to restore that part of the path, 51:34 the light began to shine even clearer 51:36 and we are brought even closer to the Shekinah Glory. 51:39 Oh, friends, don't you see 51:40 that God was using every single movement 51:43 to restore the path of the just. 51:45 The true path of faith. 51:48 He was using every movement. 51:50 And, friends, if I lived in during those times, 51:52 if I lived in Martin Luther's time, 51:53 I would be a Lutheran. 51:55 If I lived during the time of the Anabaptist, 51:57 I would be a Baptist. 51:58 If I lived during the time of John and Charles Wesley, 52:01 I would be a Methodist. 52:02 You see, God was using 52:03 every single movement of the past, 52:05 but now we have one last piece of furniture 52:07 that was yet to be restored. 52:09 It's the Ark of Covenant. 52:11 It's the place where the light is the clearest 52:14 and shining the brightest. 52:15 And tell me, friends, 52:16 did God raise up a movement to leave the world 52:19 all the way back into his presence. 52:23 A special movement that would restore, 52:26 not just part of the path, 52:27 but the whole thing. 52:29 Did God raise up the movement? 52:31 Absolutely, yes. 52:33 And, friends, what movement is that? 52:36 We're going to find out tomorrow night. 52:37 Can you say amen? 52:39 But it's a movement 52:40 that God is calling all of us to be a part of. 52:44 It's a movement 52:45 that restores all truth in the last days. 52:50 You see, friends, when we understand 52:52 the Most Holy Place message, 52:54 when we know where Jesus is 52:55 and what He is doing, 52:57 we now have the clearest view 52:59 and brightest picture of who God is. 53:04 And when we know it for ourselves, 53:06 then we can call the world, 53:08 don't stop at the laver and the altar, 53:11 don't stop at the candlestick 53:12 and the Table of Showbread. 53:13 Don't stop at the Altar of Incense. 53:15 Why don't we call all the way back 53:17 and let the spirit of God lead us into all the truth? 53:21 Friends, what movement is this? 53:24 They're described in Revelation 14:12. 53:27 Notice with me as we begin 53:29 to bring out a few last points. 53:31 The Bible says concerning God's end time people. 53:33 It says, "Here is the patience of the saints." 53:37 That word patience means endurance. 53:38 In other words, these are the ones 53:39 that endure to the end of the path. 53:41 Are you with me? 53:42 It says, "Here is patience of the saints, 53:44 here are they that keep the, what, 53:47 commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." 53:49 I want you to notice interesting 53:51 that the word here is mentioned twice in this verse. 53:55 It says here is the patience of the saints. 53:57 Here are they and the word here denotes a location. 54:01 Isn't that right? 54:03 Here denotes a location 54:05 or where exactly is the location of these saints. 54:09 Where is here? 54:10 Listen, friends, 54:11 here is wherever the commandments of God 54:14 and the faith of Jesus are. 54:16 And, friends, in the sanctuary, 54:17 where is the commandments of God? 54:19 In the Most Holy Place. 54:21 And where is the faith of Jesus? 54:23 It's throughout the whole thing, 54:25 but especially in the Most Holy Place. 54:26 Let me explain, how. 54:28 What was just above the Ten Commandments 54:31 in the Most Holy Place? 54:33 The mercy seat, 54:34 it was made of what, pure gold. 54:37 And, friends, do you know what gold 54:38 represents in the Bible? 54:40 Faith. 54:41 But notice it's pure gold because it's a pure faith. 54:45 And, friends who is the only one that has the pure faith? 54:48 Jesus. 54:50 The Bible tells us that God's end time people, 54:52 they have the faith not just in Jesus, 54:56 they have the faith of Jesus. 54:58 You know why? 54:59 Because they sit with Jesus on the throne 55:01 as an over comer, 55:02 they have a Most Holy Place experience, 55:05 here is the patience of the saints. 55:08 Friends, I want to be there. 55:09 How about you? 55:10 God's end time people, His remnant church 55:12 truly is going to be a light house of truth 55:14 in world full of darkness. You know why? 55:16 Because we're living in another Dark Age. 55:19 Well, Satan is spreading lies about the character of God. 55:22 The people are misperceptions about who God is. 55:25 But the darker the night, 55:27 the brighter the light is going to shine. 55:30 And so we go now to the Book of Revelation 18, 55:33 as we find the final message in the last days. 55:37 Our message so powerful and so bright that it will bring 55:40 in the perfect day, the coming of Jesus. 55:43 Please, turn there with me. 55:44 Revelation 18:1-4, the Bible tells us. 55:47 And we are going to study this in detail tomorrow night. 55:49 It says, "And after these things 55:53 I saw another angel, another messenger, 55:55 come down from heaven, having great power, 55:58 and the earth was, what, lightened with his--" 56:03 Friends, this angel is simply 56:05 God's end time messengers in the last days. 56:08 And the Bible says that they will not only be heard audibly. 56:11 But the word is going to be enlightened with their glory. 56:13 In other words, people will see the glory of God 56:16 in the lives of his end time people. 56:18 Those who have a Most Holy Place experience. 56:21 And then ones they are seen, then notice verse 2. 56:23 "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, 56:25 saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, 56:28 and is become the habitation of devils, 56:30 and the hold of every foul spirit, 56:31 and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 56:33 Now notice verse 4. 56:35 "And I heard another voice from heaven, 56:36 saying, 'Come out of her, my people,' 56:41 that ye be not partakers of her sins, 56:42 and that ye receive not of her plagues." 56:44 Here we find a messenger with the message 56:48 so bright that it brings the perfect day. 56:52 The second coming of Christ. 56:54 Friends, do you want to know who this messenger is? 56:57 Who is this angel that lightens the world 57:00 with the glory of God? 57:02 Tomorrow night we are going to find out. 57:04 But notice just a few more verses in Daniel 12:3, 57:07 it says, "And they that be wise shall shine 57:11 as the brightness of the firmament, 57:13 and they that turn many to righteousness as the, 57:16 what, stars for ever and ever." 57:18 Friends, in the Bible, stars represent angels, 57:21 an angels are messengers. 57:23 Bible is calling us to be shining stars, 57:26 shining messengers to lead people back 57:29 to the righteousness, 57:30 and where is righteousness. 57:32 "My tongue shall speak of thy word 57:33 for all thy commandments are--" 57:36 So to turn people to righteousness 57:38 is to turn people back to the Ten Commandments 57:40 is to turn people back into the Most Holy Place 57:43 where Jesus sits upon His throne. 57:46 Oh, friends, I want to be a star. 57:47 How about you? 57:49 But not like those basketball stars. 57:51 And those music starts and those movie stars. 57:55 Those stars are just falling stars. 57:57 I want to be like the bright and morning star Jesus Christ. 58:00 Can you say amen? 58:01 And, friends, as we continue to shine, 58:03 the light of the message of God 58:05 in the last days will bring in the perfect day 58:08 and then we will see our God face to face. 58:12 And, friends, notice what happens to the sanctuary. 58:15 In Revelation 21:22-23, my last verse. 58:18 It says, "And I saw no temple therein, 58:21 for the Lord God Almighty 58:22 and the lamb are the, what, temple of it. 58:25 And the city had no need of the sun, 58:26 neither of the moon to shine in it, 58:29 for the glory of God did lighten it, 58:30 and the lamb is the light thereof." 58:33 You see, friends, in heaven, 58:34 there is no need of a temple, 58:35 no need of artificial light 58:37 because now we are back 58:38 into the very presence of God in the Shekinah Glory. 58:42 The place that we once began, 58:43 now Jesus brings us back. 58:45 Now we see our God face to face. 58:51 Only faintly, now we see Him 58:54 with a darkening veil between. 58:57 Oh, but a blessed days coming 59:00 when His glory shall be seen, 59:03 face to face with Christ, my Savior. 59:06 Face to face to see and know when with rapture 59:09 I behold Him. 59:10 Jesus Christ who loves me so. |
Revised 2014-12-17