The glory of Jesus Christ dw..

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com. That's cornerstonerbc.com. again. If you have your Bibles with you, would you please open them up straight to John, the Gospel according to John.

We're back. We're back there this morning. We're working our way through the introduction of this wonderful fourth Gospel. And this morning we'll be concentrating our efforts in particular on verse 14. Last week we started verse 14, we did the first phrase, but this week, God willing, we will continue to see our way through the rest the rest of this verse.

So John chapter 1 and we'll be reading again as we always have the first 18 verses. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent He came as a witness to bear witness about the Light, that all might believe through Him. He was not the Light, but He came to bear witness about the Light. The true Light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him.

He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John Paul witnessed about him and cried out, This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me. For from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.

For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only God who is at the Father's side, He has made Him known. I think in the verse that we're going to look at this morning, verse 14, I believe John is trying to take us a little bit deeper. He's trying to expand our understanding of who Christ is and what He's accomplished.

I think as a church we ought to dig a little deeper this morning because I believe the text demands this of us so that we can understand what God intended in this verse for His people. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. At first glance we may miss the imagery anticipated in the phrase dwelt among us. We need to remember John makes many Old Testament allusions to show fulfillment of types, shadows and institutions. It's no secret that John has the Old Testament in mind in his introduction.

Even his first words of this chapter, in the beginning, are a direct reference to the book of Genesis. His intention here, I believe, is this. He wishes to demonstrate that Christ stands alone as the antitype for which all types and shadows in the Old Testament point towards. In other words, John is saying that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament scripture. We need to keep this in mind and if we do we'll see an incredible richness and a beautiful unity between the old and the new.

So this morning we'll unpack verse 14. It'll become obvious once again that John does have the Old Testament in mind but this time I believe it's one particular book that he has in mind, the book of Exodus. Last week we examined the first clause of verse 14, the Word became flesh. We spent some time building a Biblical understanding of what this profound truth means, because only the Bible will be able to reveal this truth. We determined that the Eternal Son of God, who embodies all the essential attributes of God, became man and shared in our humanity.

And when He became a man, He remained fully God. He did not set aside His divinity, He did not give up His divine attributes, and He certainly did not stop being God. The nature of God in Christ remains completely unchanged. But a change did happen, and we said last week that that change was a change of addition, not subtraction. He added to Himself a human nature, God still being God, became man.

So if you don't remember anything else from what we said last week, please remember this point. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, and will remain fully God and fully man forever. As God He's our protection, our strength, our comfort and our rest, and as man all its variety, yet without sin. And He is able to sympathise with us in our need. Our conclusion from last week's sermon was this, in Christ we have a perfect Saviour.

So let's unpack verse 14, or the rest of it at least, this morning. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as the only Son from the Father, of grace and truth. The word that's been translated in our Bibles, dwelt, literally means pitched a tent or tabernacled among us. God the Son took up residence with mankind. If you remember, He was always supposed to be that way.

God created man so that he would have an intimate relationship with Him. This is how This is how it was in the Garden of Eden, if you remember. God walked with Adam in the cool of the day and enjoyed intimate fellowship with Adam. But Adam turned his back on God. As a result, he was kicked out of God's presence.

Simple, rebellious man cannot dwell in the presence of a holy God. A cherubim was placed at the east entrance to God against anyone trying to make his way back into the presence of God. But as unworthy as sinful humans are, God still graciously desires to dwell among them. In His grace, He hasn't given up on humanity, but rather He has made a way to restore this intimate fellowship with His people once again. We see this so clearly in the place of God's of His presence and glory among the people of Israel in the Old Testament in a place called the tabernacle.

And there's no doubt in my mind that John here is purposely using language to compare Christ to this tabernacle. His intention, I believe, is to show that the presence and glory of God is no longer in a man-made tent, but in a human body. Christ is the new, better dwelling place of God among His people. So this morning I want to make comparisons between the two dwelling places of God's own choosing. The first dwelling place is the tent, or the tabernacle in the wilderness, and the second is the human body of flesh and blood, the body of Christ.

I believe that John intends for us to see the obvious similarities between we would see the important distinctions between them. So in the time we have together, I'll make three comparisons that I believe flow naturally from the text, and I will give them in the same order that they've been given to us. I'll compare the two texts, and I'll spend most of our time there, and then I'll compare their glory, and then finally I'll compare the grace and truth found in each one. Before we do these comparisons, we need to freshen up, I think, on some details about what the old tabernacle was. It was also called, or also known as, the tent of meaning, because God met with His people there.

So what is it? What is the tabernacle? The book of Exodus tells us that it was a portable tent, erected in the middle of the Israelite camp. It was a place where God presenced Himself in a special way among His people, among His covenant people. So the encamped people of Israel were able to say with genuine confidence that Yahweh dwells among us.

This beloved made these people the most privileged people on the earth. Being portable, the tabernacle could be moved from one place to another as the people journeyed into the wilderness. And Yahweh would travel with His people wherever wherever he directed them to go. It was 13.5 metres long by 4.

5 metres wide and 4.5 metres high. It wasn't very big. You could say it was probably double the size of this room that we're in here this morning. The roof of the tent was made of different layers of materials and fabrics, but the outer covering was of animal skins attached together.

Inside the room housing the Ark of the Covenant was called the Most Holy Place. It was about a third of the size of the whole structure, a perfect four and a half meters square, and it was placed towards the rear. The Most Holy Place was closed from the rest of the tabernacle with a curtain, and it rang or hung from the top and hung all the way to the bottom. On this curtain were embroidered cherubim, just like the ones placed in Eden to stop man from returning into the presence of God. The rest of the tabernacle is called the Holy Place.

The inner sanctum is called the Most Holy Place. The rest is called the Holy Place. Surrounding the tabernacle was a courtyard around 45 meters long by about 22.5 meters wide. In the courtyard outside was a bronze altar.

for sacrificing animals to God. And then closer to the tabernacle was a bronze laver, like a wash basin, for the priests to wash themselves clean before entering into the holy place. All the consecrated items inside were a work of beauty. In fact, Scripture tells us that God filled the craftsmen with the Holy Spirit in order to accomplish the task with precision. The table of showbread was covered with gold.

The lampstand, the menorah lampstand, and the altar of incense were carefully and skillfully made from pure gold. The Ark of the Covenant sat in the most holy place, and it was constructed from acacia wood and then overlaid again with pure gold. The mercy seat, that's the lid of the Ark of the Covenant, And the two cherubim sitting on the ark were crafted with the highest attention to detail from 100% pure gold. Apart from the three and a half tons of silver used in its construction, we're told in Exodus 38 that around 1,000 kilos of pure gold was used in this tabernacle. Just think about that.

A room no bigger than twice the size of this room thousand kilos of gold. Even the walls were laced with gold. God gave detailed instructions to Moses for its construction. And he gave strict warnings against any deviation. All the furnishings and all the priestly duties were types of a greater reality to come.

They were types of Christ. our great high priest. This is why the hand of Yahweh was heavy upon the sons of Aaron when they deviated from God's instruction and offered unauthorized fire. It wasn't over preferred smells of incense that God preferred from one to the other. Now I want you to think about this for a moment.

The Holy Spirit described the creation of the whole universe for us in Genesis chapter 1 and a little in chapter 2, so a bit over a chapter. But the intricate details of the tabernacle take up over 10 chapters in Exodus. Every point, every point points to something greater, and we now know that it all points to Jesus Christ. So now let's compare the two tents, the two tents that God chose to dwell in. You'll realize as I was and all the beauty was mainly focused on the inside of this tent.

But outside, to be honest, there wasn't much to look at. It looked quite bland and uninteresting. The only thing that could be said is that it matched the dry desert sand that surrounded it. No beauty. Simple animal skins made up the outer cover, as I said before, and white linen curtains in external beauty, at least, with the temple shrines of the surrounding nations.

Quite simply, this tent had no external beauty. It had no reason to attract anyone to it. Who would have thought that the contents of this modest tent in the wilderness had a street value in the tens of millions? If you couldn't see what's on the inside, you would have to, well, you'd have to have faith. believe it's there.

It's amazing to think that God of the universe chose a humble tent like this to dwell in. Not unlike the description given to us of the true tabernacle. Jesus Christ humbled himself also, valing his pre-incarnate glory with human flesh in order to dwell with humanity. The prophet Isaiah foretold of Christ saying he had no form that we should desire him. Physically, Christ perfectly fit in the first century Palestine, like a glove.

Growing up, he looked no different to his friends. He ate the same food and dressed the same way. He blended in just like everyone else. He didn't come in a king's splendor, no pomp or glitter, no fanfare, just a regular Jewish-looking man walking the streets of Palestine. Physically, he had no appeal.

nothing to attract anyone to Him. The world would not find what they are looking for in Christ. The humility that He demonstrates is unattractive to a world that's addicted to vanity. Just like our world today. Humanly speaking, an obscure carpenter who walked the streets in the Middle East 2,000 years ago and was sentenced to a cursed death of criminals and then to say that he did it for sinners in order to reconcile them to God, well that won't appeal to anyone.

In fact the world sees this as foolishness. But beloved, this carpenter is of infinite value. Infinite value to anyone who's been given eyes to see who he really is. Also, the tabernacle was strategically placed in the center of the camp. The Book of Numbers tells us that God made arrangements for there to be three tribes to the north, three tribes to the south, three on the east, and three on the west.

And all the tribes were to be facing the tabernacle. The manifest presence of God was to be the focus every day and in all their duties, God was to be remembered, His presence honored. They would know He was in their midst, to be reminded that He is their shield, their protection, their strength, their comfort, their rest. They would be reminded that He is their God. Even when God instructed for the people to journey from one place to another, this arrangement was to remain the way He instructed.

In all circumstances, God is to be front and center, and their identity, His covenant people's identity, is to be found in Him alone. Their identity is in Yahweh. Beloved, should this not be the case for us in Christ? Should this not be the case in the life of every Christian? Isn't Christ the head?

Aren't we His body? Isn't He to also be honoured and the focal point of all that we do? Our gatherings are to honour and exalt Him in all His majesty. He's to be the centre and the focus in our families, in our workplaces, in our marriages, in our dealings with strangers. In all that we do, our lives ought to testify to all people everywhere that we are disciples of Jesus Christ.

Our identity is to be found in Him alone. He's given us His Spirit and His Word to guide us and lead us in this way. How is that to be evidenced in our lives? Well, how are we to know that we are His disciples? Well, He tells us in John 13, by our love one for another.

Beloved, if Jesus is the focus, if Jesus is the center of your life, it should be shown in your love for Him and your love for your brothers and your sisters. Because He is love. And our unbroken gaze should be fixed on our Savior. He is to be the center of His church. Speaking of disputes among the church, in Matthew 18, Jesus says, for where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them."

Now, the word misos translated for us in English, among, literally means in the middle of. Christ stands in the middle of His church. Beloved, whether we eat or drink, Christ is to be in our midst, and our attention, our eyes, our gaze ought to be focused on Him. He is to consume our hearts, our minds, our affections. He is to be the purpose of our very existence.

But the main purpose for the tabernacle in the wilderness is found in Leviticus 26 verses 11-12. Leviticus 26, verses 11 and 12. I will make my dwelling among you, says the Lord, and my soul shall not harbour you. And I will walk among you and will be your God and you shall be my people. The reason for the tabernacle, beloved, is it's God's presence among his people and that is its primary function.

All of mankind have sinned. All have rebelled against God. He still provides them with His presence. A place for His people to look towards and know that God is with us. A place reminding them of His grace, His holiness, His mercy, His faithfulness, and that He abounds in steadfast love towards His covenant people.

A place to worship Him as God. The treasure of the tabernacle never was the gold or the silver within. It's not the beauty of the craftsmanship or the artistic flair in making the consecrated furnishings. They were all temporal symbols that would ultimately come to an end. All types and shadows pointing to the person and the work of Jesus Christ, who is the true tabernacle.

For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. The temporary dwelling place would make place for the permanent tabernacle of flesh and blood. In the very next chapter, Jesus makes exactly this point. He says, destroy this temple, and in three days, I'll raise it up. The Jews then said, it has taken 46 years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?

but he was speaking about the temple of his body. Christ is Emmanuel, Christ with us, God with us. Beloved, we don't have his physical presence with us, but we have his real presence in us. Paul says, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but here it is, but Christ who lives in me.

Christ is always with His people in spirit until the end of the age, and then we will be united with Him physically, never to be separated. Until then, He has promised never to leave His people, nor to forsake His people. He is forever present with us in this we trust. Beloved, I need to ask, does He satisfy your soul? Knowing Christ is ever present with you.

Is that enough? Or do you want more? You see, many of the Israelites weren't satisfied. Described as a stiff-necked people, they became all too familiar with the manifested presence of God. The tabernacle became common to them, and they were happy.

to trade it all in and go back to Egypt where they could enjoy garlic, onions and watermelons. Prepare to give up the closeness to God for fruits and vegetables. Beloved, this is the blindness or the blinding effect of sin. But Moses on the other hand, he valued more than anything else the presence of God. He was not prepared to exchange it even for the promised land.

When God threatened to depart from among His people because of their unfaithfulness, and to send an angel to lead them into the promised land, lest His anger consume them, Moses' plea was basically this, hear this, Yahweh, if you don't go with us, telling God, if you don't go before us, if your presence is not among us, we don't want it. At least this is the expression of Moses' heart. Because Moses was given eyes to see. That the true treasure was not in taking possession of the promised land. He would not be satisfied with that if God was absent.

Moses knew that the true treasure is our attitude? Do we honestly cry out, take the gold, take the silver, take any and all of my earthly possessions but give me Christ? Do you really believe He is all you need? Does He satisfy your soul? Is He all that you long for?

Is He really, really enough? Or do you want more? May the Lord give us the heart that cries out to the psalmist, Whom have I in heaven but you? Hear this, and there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. May the presence of God in Christ satisfy us fully.

Now let's compare the glory of both lovers. The Old Testament tabernacle the glory of God. Of course, what the people saw was not God, but the manifestation of His presence and glory. God is spirit, no one has seen God. But glory is one of those words that has become so familiar to us Christians, that if we're honest, we may actually struggle to define it.

If you feel this way, you're not alone. It can actually be very broad in definition, and it's difficult to define. So let's allow scripture to do that for us. again to the book of Exodus this time verse 30 so chapter 33 will be reading from verses 17 through 23 so Exodus chapter 33 will be reading from 17 through 23 and the Lord said I will do. For you have found favour in my eyes, and I know you by name.

Moses said, and he's speaking about going before them in the wilderness. And Moses said, please show me your glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before you and proclaim before you my name. The Lord, and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But he said, you cannot see my face for man shall not see me and live.

And the Lord said, behold, there is a place by me where you can stand on the rock. And while my glory passes by, I will put you in the cleft of the rock and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen." Again we see another example of the true covenant member of God, one who is a friend of God. In boldness say, Lord show me your glory.

But when Moses asks, Lord show me your glory, what does God show him? Verse 19, I will make my goodness pass before you. The glory of God is His goodness. This really doesn't narrow it down though, does it? Everything about God is good.

All His attributes and qualities are good. In fact, the psalmist says that everything He does is good. But that's exactly the point. Whenever God puts Himself on display, in any of His attributes, you'll have the glory of God on show. His grace, His mercy, His justice, His righteousness, His holiness, His purity, His power, His beauty, and the list goes on.

So when these attributes are put on display by God, what you have before you is a glimpse of His infinite glory. The glory of God was most chiefly displayed people of Israel in the wilderness, in the tabernacle. And the closer you get to the Most Holy Place, the greater the manifestation of that glory. This is why, beloved, the materials used in the tabernacle and its furnishings got more and more valuable as you got closer and closer into the Most Holy Place. But only the high priests could ever enter into the Most Holy Place, the place where the was manifest, and even then he was only, that's the priest, was only to enter once a year with blood in his hands.

But for the most of the people of Israel in the wilderness, they got to see this glory from a bit of a distance. Now, this kind of glory was seen in the tabernacle, but the people saw the cloud above, and only from a distance. Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out.

But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and the fire was in it by night. And the sight of all of Israel throughout all their journeys. Clouds so thick and heavy, Moses was unable to enter the tent. What a glorious sight for all to see.

And if you know that in the book of Kings, we also know this was the same with the temple that was constructed, the same description was given in the temple in Jerusalem. The beauty and the splendor of Yahweh's glory was on display in that magnificent manifestation. Also, the Shekinah glory of God led Israel in a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day when they were freed from the bondage under the Egyptians. And when they camped at the base of Mount Sinai, they saw with their eyes and heard with their ears the glory of God. But nothing could top the experience of seeing the Shekinah glory light as Moses did in the burning bush, or over the mercy seat that was only seen by the high priest in a place called the Most Holy Place.

It was a symbol of God's divine presence among his people. It was a radiance that was out of this world. But as glorious as it was, it was a distant manifestation. And in fact, after the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in 586 BC, this type of manifestation of God's glory came to an end. But then, but then John tells us, The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

He speaks of the glory that belongs to God alone, as seen in His unique Son. A glory and presence that is not on display as a manifestation, but the real thing. God in Christ is revealing God and His true glory among His creatures such as never before. John saw His glory in the transfiguration on the mount. And you remember, I believe, I believe he witnessed a glimpse of the pre-incarnate glory of the Son of God.

The glory He had with the Father before the creation of the world, he says in John 17. And although it would have been out of this world experience for Peter, James and John, I really don't think that John here has this glory in mind when he pens this verse, because he doesn't even give mention to it in his Gospel. We see the transfiguration account given in the Synoptics, but not in the Gospel according to John. But what he does mention is the glory seen in Christ in two real places, in His signs and wonders, and also in the glory of the cross. In the next chapter, chapter 2, after Jesus turns water into wine, John writes this, the first of His signs Jesus did in Cana in Galilee and manifested His glory and His disciples believed in Him.

Glory is seen by His disciples as Christ puts the Father's glory on display with His creating power. In John 11, when a message is sent to Christ about the seriously ill Lazarus, Jesus is recorded saying this, This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. After arriving in Bethany, he turns to Martha, the sister of Lazarus, and what does he say? Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?

That in an exhibition of power over death, Jesus puts His Father's glory on display by bringing back to life a man who was dead for four days. But not everyone recognized Jesus' glory. This became evident as the Jews who lacked spiritual sight were angered and plotted to kill our Saviour after He raised Lazarus from the dead. You see, some did see and some didn't recognize the glory of God in Christ Jesus. But I believe that John may have considered the greatest display of Christ's obedient to death, even death on the cross.

In John 12, as Jesus was about to turn his attention to the cross that is before him, he says, the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. How do you describe the glory of His humility to accept being falsely accused, rejected, despised, mocked, beaten and then placed on a Roman cross to die for the sake of His people? It's not the Shekinah type glory. It's not the column of cloud or the pillar of fire. No, the glory of God on this and His magnificence in the demonstration of His amazing love for His people.

It's seeing His grace and mercy towards undeserving sinners, yet at the same time, it's the glory of His holiness on display as He vindicates His justice towards sin and rebellion. It's bloody. It's brutal. Frankly, it's sickening to the world. but it was necessary for sinners just like us to be saved.

Not everyone can see the glory of the cross. But if Christ has given you eyes to see, there's nothing, there's nothing in this world more magnificent. Seeing the glory of the only Son of the Father, well, it'll change your life forever. The final expression of verse 14 is that Jesus is full of grace, and truth. Truth is a strong theme running throughout the Gospel according to John.

We all know Christ's self-revelation in chapter 14 when He says, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Meaning all truth about God and salvation is found in none other than Jesus Christ. He's the embodiment of truth no hint of a lie, no deceit, no darkness is found in him. He declares that if anyone truly believes the truth, that is, if anyone believes in him, then the truth will set him free.

But I really think John still has the tabernacle in mind even here. You see, verses And so in the last few moments that we have together, I want to examine the last clause full of grace and truth in light of the description and the function of the tabernacle as described in Exodus. So as we think of the function of the tabernacle, we can't deny among other things that it was indeed a picture of truth to the covenant people in Israel. So what I mean by that is that as a shadow of the true tabernacle, that we can make many parallels with the tabernacle of Christ's body. And I believe it was intended by God to do this.

The tabernacle was meant to be a teacher of truth. To teach the covenant people realities about God and realities about themselves. Every single part, every single detail of the tabernacle in some way communicated some form of truth. Let's walk through them as we compare the two tents. The bronze altar signifies that you can't approach God without the sacrifice.

We too approach God through the sacrifice in Jesus' body. Hebrews chapter 10. The bronze laver, which is that wash basin, teaches that the priests were to be clean from defilements before they approach the presence of God. Only the pure is to be in His presence. We New Testament Christians know that we approach God not in and of our own righteousness, but that of the righteousness and purity of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5. The show bread taught that God is the sustainer. This too is true of Christ, who sustains the universe by the word of His power. Colossians 1. The incense represents, or the burning incense represents, the intercessory prayers rising to Yahweh as a pleasing aroma.

Christ, we're told, intercedes on our behalf before the Father, Hebrews 7, Romans 8. The menorah lampstand was to illuminate the dwelling, the tabernacle. Christ is the light of the world. He alone is the true light, John 1 and John 8. And in the ark of the covenant were tablets of the law, a jar of manna and Aaron's staff that had buttered, that is, to produce fruits.

They acted as a reminder to the people of Israel of the covenant they made with God to keep His righteous law and that He is their provider who gives them bread from heaven. And Aaron's staff, well, all of Israel was familiar with Aaron's staff. But let's say, basically, it was a reminder that God is the source of life, being able to even bring life to a dead stick. You can see how Christ is the fulfilment of all of these things. There are all types and shadows.

Jesus is the keeper of the law in perfect righteousness and perfect obedience. He is the bread of life, the true manna from heaven. And only a few weeks ago we unpacked verse 4 of this prologue which clearly asserts that Jesus is the source and substance of life, able to bring life from that which is dead, as we saw this morning physically in the case of Lazarus, but also, more significantly, he's the fountain of spiritual life for those who are dead in their trespasses and sins. These are all truths that the first tabernacle taught as a picture of the true tabernacle, Jesus Christ. He is the substance of truth.

But of course, we must not forget the mercy seat, the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant. That was the lid on the Ark. This is where truth meets with grace. And in Hebrews 8, we're told, that everything that went on in the tabernacle, the earthly tents, was a shadow of heavenly things. In other words, as I've said throughout, the tabernacle foreshadowed the work and the person of Jesus Christ.

This is why I think John says of Christ that he is full of grace and truth. On one day a year, a high priest, in this case Aaron, was to be cleansed and dressed in special consecrated priestly clothing. He was to present the blood of a sacrifice, of a bull that was sacrificed on behalf of himself and his family, and he was to sprinkle that blood on the mercy seat, on the Ark of the Covenant. Then he was to bring two goats, lay his hands on one of the goats, and confess the sins of his people. And then he'll send that goat out into the wilderness as the scapegoat.

Then he was to sacrifice the other goat and bring the blood of the goat, breach the curtain, approach the manifested presence of the glory of God in the most holy place. He was then to sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat on behalf of all the people who drew near. In His grace, God would accept that sacrifice. Not because the blood of bulls or goats would take away sins, they can't. But because of what these sacrifices foreshadowed.

The high priests would do this over and over again, year after year after year, until the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus became our great high priest. He has entered into the presence of God with blood sacrifice. But he wasn't the blood of a goat. He entered with his own blood.

He became both the sacrificer and the sacrifice. And his perfect sacrifice was once and for all on that cross of Calvary 2,000 years ago. offering His own life on behalf of His people. When He did, the curtain in the most holy place that separated the holy of holies was torn from top to bottom. Entrance into the presence of God now opened for those who believe.

The righteousness of God satisfied and His amazing love expressed in action. The fullness of truth and the fullness of grace met in Christ, our Savior, on that day. All for undeserving sinners, just like us. Beloved, the old tent is no more. The tent of the body of Christ is forever.

How sinners are to be reconciled to God. Praise be to His name. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory. Glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Amen.