September 25, 2022 – Sunday Service Live Stream

Ascension Presbyterian Church Longwood

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according to the riches of his grace which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence.

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O church here assembled, if you think in Christ, take heart today, your sins are forgiven.

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Amen. Amen. Please take up the hymnal and turn. Thy grace has made this world shall see a sweet dawn.

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Please take up the insert that says 278 in the left corner.

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With all my heart, my thanks I'll bring. I'm going to ask Elissa to play through one time for us.

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Please remain standing for the reading of the word from Jeremiah 32. Jeremiah chapter 32.

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The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the 18th year of Nebuchadnezzar, for then the king of Babylon's army besieged

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Jerusalem. And Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house.

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For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Why do you prophesy and say,

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Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it.

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And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape from the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him face to face, and see him eye to eye.

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Then he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there he shall be until I visit him, says the

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Lord. Though you fight with the Chaldeans, you shall not succeed. And Jeremiah said,

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The word of the Lord came to me, saying, Behold, Hanamel, the son of Shalom, your uncle, will come to you, saying,

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Buy my field, which is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it.

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Then Hanamel, my uncle's son, came to me in the court of the prison, according to the word of the

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Lord, and said to me, Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin, for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption yours.

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Buy it for yourself. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and weighed out to him the money, seventeen shekels of silver.

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And I signed the deed and sealed it, took witnesses, and weighed the money on the scales. So I took the purchased deed, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was opened.

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And I gave the purchased deed to Baruch, the son of Neriah, son of Messiah, in the presence of Hanamel, my uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the purchased deed before all the

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Jews who sat in the court of the prison. Then I charged Baruch before them, saying,

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Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Take these deeds, both this purchased deed which is sealed and this deed which is opened, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.

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For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.

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Now when I had delivered the purchased deed to Baruch, the son of Neriah, I prayed to the

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Lord, saying, Ah, Lord God, behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.

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There is nothing too hard for you. You show loving kindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them.

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The great, the mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts, you are great in counsel and mighty in work.

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For your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.

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You have set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt to this day, and in Israel and among other men.

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And you have made yourself a name, as it is this day. You have brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror.

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You have given them this land, of which you swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey.

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And they came in and took possession of it, but they have not obeyed your voice or walked in your law.

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They have done nothing of all that you commanded them to do. Therefore you have caused all this calamity to come upon them.

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Look, the siege mounds. They have come to the city to take it, and the city has been given into the hand of the

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Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword and famine and pestilence. What you have spoken has happened.

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There you see it. And you have said to me, O Lord God, buy the field for money and take witnesses.

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Yet the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans. Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying,

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Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me?

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Therefore, thus says the Lord, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the

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Chaldeans, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and he shall take it.

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And the Chaldeans who fight against this city shall come and set fire to this city and burn it, with the houses on whose roofs they have ordered incense to bale and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger, because the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only evil before me from their youth.

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For the children of Israel have provoked me only to anger with the work of their hands, says the

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Lord. For this city has been to me a provocation of my anger and my fury from the day that they built it, even to this day.

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So I will remove it from before my face because of all the evil of the children of Israel and the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

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And they have turned to me the back and not the face, though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction.

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But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name to defile it. And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which

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I did not command them, nor did it come into my mind that they should do this abomination to cause

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Judah to sin. Now therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, it shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.

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Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in my anger, in my fury, and in great wrath.

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I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. They shall be my people, and I will be their

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God. Then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever for the good of them and their children after them.

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And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from doing them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from me.

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Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and with all my soul.

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For thus says the Lord, just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them.

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And fields will be bought in this land of which you say, It is desolate, without man or beast.

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It has been given into the hands of the Chaldeans. Men will buy fields for money, sign deeds and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the south, for I will cause their captives to return, says the

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Lord. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Let us now confess our faith through the singing of the

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Apostles' Creed. The church of sins, the resurrection of the body.

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Please take up the hymnal and turn to number 302. Come, Christians, join to sing number 302.

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Let's pray together in unison. Almighty and everlasting

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God, in whom we live and offer to you our humble praises for having preserved us from the beginning of our lives to this day.

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Especially do we praise you for having delivered us from the dangers and uncertainties of this past week.

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For these mercies we bless and magnify your glorious name, humbly beseeching you to accept this, our morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.

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For his sake who lay down in the grave and rose again for us, your

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Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us, granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth and in the world to come life everlasting.

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Amen. I ask your prayers for God's people throughout the world, for our denomination, for this church, and for all ministers and missionaries.

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Pray for the church. Lord, hear our prayers. I ask your prayers for the poor, the sick, the bereaved, for the burdened and for the widows, orphans, and prisoners.

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Pray for those in any need or trouble. Lord, hear our prayers.

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I ask your prayers for those who do not know Christ and for those who seek a deeper knowledge of him.

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Pray that they may find and be found by him. Lord, hear our prayers.

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Father, I pray for the lost this morning. I pray that you would ring to the lost, your sweet messengers of the gospel today and every day.

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We know that your church is expanding at every moment, that you are changing the hearts of man.

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We pray, Lord God, that today would be a salvation for many. We pray that you would strengthen the ministers and the missionaries around the world who are being faithful to bring them the sweet good news of Christ.

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I pray that you would strengthen your church today, that you give us the grace to walk by the spirit and to seek a deeper knowledge of our

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Lord and Savior. In Christ's name I pray. Amen. I ask your prayers for our children and future generations which will be born to them.

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Pray that the knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth through them. Lord, hear our prayers.

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We thank you, God, that we triumphed in the earth and that you're going to do this gospel.

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We pray that we as parents, both physical and spiritual, would be covenantally faithful to you, to preach the gospel to our children, that we would raise them in the fear and the admonition of the

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Lord, and that they would possess the gate of their enemies. May they become thousands of ten thousands.

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And may you receive all the glory and all the honor, and may we receive joy. We pray in Jesus' name.

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Amen. Pray that we may have grace to glorify

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Christ in our day. Lord, hear our prayers.

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Please stand and prepare yourselves to sing our

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Psalm of the Month, Psalm 83. This is our last opportunity this month to sing together.

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It's been a great blessing to sing this one. Let us sing Psalm 83 heartily unto the

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Lord. Zechariah chapter 3.

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Zechariah chapter 3. This is

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God's holy and infallible word. Then he showed me

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Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.

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And the Lord said to Satan, The Lord rebuke you, Satan. The Lord who has chosen

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Jerusalem rebuke you. Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?

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Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the angel.

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Then he answered and spoke to those who stood before him, saying,

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Take away the filthy garments from him. And to him he said, See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.

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And I said, Let them put a clean turban on his head. So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him.

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And the angel of the Lord stood by. Then the angel of the

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Lord admonished Joshua, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, If you will walk in my ways, and if you will keep my command, then you shall also judge my house, and likewise have charge of my courts.

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And I will give you places to walk among these who stand here. Hear, O Joshua the high priest, you and your companions who sit before you, for they are a wondrous sign.

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For behold, I am bringing forth my servant the branch. For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua, upon the stone are seven eyes.

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Behold, I will engrave its inscription, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

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In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, everyone will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree.

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Glory. Please pray with me. O Lord, we pray that your name would be exalted today when we consider

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Joshua and his high priesthood. And O Lord Jesus, I pray that we would see you to be the once forever high priest over the church of God, and that your people would run and shed their filthy garments before you and be clothed in your righteousness.

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And we ask all of these things in Jesus' name. Please be seated.

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In my original plan, I intended to preach the entirety of the whole chapter of Zechariah 3, and I believe

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I could probably not do a good job in the time allotted to do that, so I'm only going to focus primarily on verses 1 through 5 today.

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We will make a little bit of an allusion to the second part of the chapter, but I encourage you to be attentive because this will set the stage for a great week next week if the

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Lord is willing. Today, the message has one central point, and I'd like you, if you're taking notes, to write this down.

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Joshua, the high priest, is on trial in the divine court.

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Joshua, the high priest, is on trial in the divine court.

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Chapter 3 ushers us into the center of the night visions.

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The question now arises. A temple is under construction.

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Cyrus has let the people go. The people are rebuilding life, centering around worship, their life in Jerusalem and Judea.

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In this vision, we have a picture of the standing high priest.

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We learned, if you'll remember from Haggai, that Zerubbabel, the descendant of David, a picture of Christ in some ways, is now governor in the land of Jerusalem and Judea.

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And the namesake of Jesus, Jesus' name in Hebrew is Joshua, and he,

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Joshua, is the actual high priest in the land, appointed for this work.

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When the temple service resumes, Joshua will be presiding over it.

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Joshua's grandfather was the last serving high priest before the temple was destroyed.

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We have evidence of this from places like Ezra. So when we think about Joshua in this position, the question comes to mind when we're reading through Zechariah.

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The temple is being put in order. There's going to be sacrifices offered there.

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But what about the priesthood? The priests have married foreign wives in Babylon.

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They have been corrupted by sin. Joshua, at least indirectly, is attributed with this dereliction, this fall from proper holy standards for the priesthood.

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How can the priests who have defiled themselves, who are soiled with Babylon and their own sin and captivity, how can they now preside in the temple service?

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And that sets the stage for the gospel according to Zechariah.

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Let's look at chapter 3 again. Then he showed me, this is

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Zechariah speaking in this vision, Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the

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Lord. Zechariah nearly every day probably spoke with Joshua.

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Joshua was a close companion of his. Zechariah is seeing something in heaven that pictures and articulates a reality of his world.

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That Joshua, his friend, he sees in the throne room of heaven before the thrice holy

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God, and it's not pretty. When we come today to worship, we've lost this.

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Our liturgy attempts to help instruct us and bring us back. It is a terrifying thing to enter into the presence of God.

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Our God, as we learned recent months, is a consuming fire. We have come to believe that God is a friendly grandfatherly sort of God.

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We forget the holy terrors of the Lord. Joshua is probably a pretty fine guy, but in comparison to the holy standard of God, he is in trouble.

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Zechariah sees his friend in grave danger in the throne room of God.

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I want to turn you back to the book of Exodus and Chapter 28 really quickly. Please turn there.

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Exodus 28. There's a a way that priests are to serve.

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The Day of Atonement, as you know, is this is reminiscent of it. Joshua standing alone in the presence of the

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Lord. A temple is under construction. A priesthood needs to be in place that can fitly serve the

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Lord in the manner he has prescribed. So the people of God have been confronted with various problems.

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They don't have a place to worship there. They've been sinful. They come from a rebellious people.

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Now they recognize the way they're going to approach God is through priesthood and their priesthood is defiled.

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That's a terrifying thing. To approach God improperly is death.

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To not have appropriate representation before God is means there's no salvation.

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So this is an important aspect of their consideration as they rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.

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I want to start reading in the interest of time. In verse 31, it's kind of in the middle. It's describing the priestly garments.

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But I want you to get a sense of what's happening here. You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue.

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There shall be an opening for his head in the middle of it. And shall have a woven binding all around its opening.

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Like the opening in a coat of mail. So that it does not tear. And upon its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet all around its hem.

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And bells of gold between them all around. A golden bell and a pomegranate.

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A golden bell and a pomegranate upon the hem of the robe all around. And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers.

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And its sound will be heard when he goes into the holy place before the Lord. And when he comes out, do you see what it says?

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He's dressed in this very ornate regalia. These vestments.

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That he might approach God. His tassels and all the little things, they jingle and jangle.

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And if they hear that he stops jangling, they'll yank him out from the holy place.

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What does it say at the end of that verse? When he goes into the holy place before the

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Lord. When he comes out, that he may not die. That's the

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God that we serve. A holiness that is by human standards left to ourselves naturally is unapproachable.

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We cannot go in there. This makes the picture of Joshua more startling and shocking to Zechariah.

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We continue reading. Verse 36 of Exodus 28. You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it like the engraving of a signet.

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Holiness to the Lord. The high priest not only represents and has the apparel of holiness.

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He's the guy who's supposed to be consecrated and set apart as holy to the Lord on behalf of the people.

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Verse 37. And you shall put it on a blue cord that it may be on the turban.

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It shall be on the front of the turban. So shall it be on Aaron's forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow and all their holy gifts.

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And it shall always be on his forehead. That they may be accepted before the

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Lord. You shall skillfully weave the tunic of the fine linen thread. You shall make the turban of fine linen.

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And you shall make the sash of woven work for Aaron's sons.

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You shall make tunics and you shall make sashes for them and you shall make hats for them for glory and beauty.

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So you shall put them on Aaron, your brother, and on his sons with him. You shall anoint them, consecrate them and sanctify them that they may minister to me as priests.

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I should stop again. Our approach to God is reverent.

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It's all filled. It's tentative when we consider our own sinfulness.

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The high priest making atonement for the people once per year. Think of the anguish of heart and soul.

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The heavy burden that he bears as he walks into this holy place.

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All of these things that we read over in our reading plans. We say we have to get through all of these details.

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All of these with great precision tell us and speak to us about the way that we have to approach

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God. And it's in holiness. We have to be set apart. We have to be sanctified and consecrated, anointed.

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That we may, in this case, that they may serve as priests. Continue reading verse 42.

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And you shall make for them linen trousers to cover their nakedness. They should reach from the waist to the thighs.

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They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they come into the tabernacle of meeting.

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Or when they come near to the altar to minister in the holy place.

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What does it say there in the next phrase? That they do not incur iniquity and die.

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This is the most serious business in all the world. The worship of God. It shall be a statute forever to him and to his descendants after him.

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Let's go back to our text in Zechariah 3. Zechariah sees his friend

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Joshua, the high priest. Standing before the angel of the

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Lord. It's terrifying enough as it is. But Satan is there.

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Satan has entered into the divine courtroom. And Satan in Hebrew best translation would just be that word.

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We know him as the accuser. The accuser is there. The accuser is there and he's ready to bring his charges against Joshua, the high priest.

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He says, and this is not articulated. You can imagine this is speculative in some sense.

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He says, look at your high priest. Look at how he's soiled with his sin.

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Look how he's been corrupted not only by his own transgressions. His father's transgressed your holy law.

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And not only that, the priest whom he presides over, they've all taken foreign wives.

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They can't serve at the altar of you, oh God. It's a terrifying scene.

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We've said in our liturgy, our sins bring us a list of accusations. Can you imagine?

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There in the presence of God with your sin laid bare. And the enemy of God, your enemy too,

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Satan, prosecuting you for your sins. He stands there at his right hand to oppose him.

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But brethren, our Lord opposes him. Look at verse 2.

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And the Lord said to Satan, the Lord rebuke you, Satan.

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The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you. The Lord himself intervenes on Joshua's behalf.

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In intervening on Joshua's behalf, he's intervening on the priesthood's behalf.

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In intervening on the priesthood's behalf, the entirety of the people of God now have

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God himself, the Lord, rising in their defense.

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Because of what he's going to do in them. This language next in verse 2 is familiar in places like Amos 4, verse 11.

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Is not this a brand plucked from the fire? The high priest

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Joshua is in the fire. The priesthood's in the fire. The people of God now returning from exile, they're in the fire.

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And God himself plucks them out of the fire and saves them. They're charred and they're covered in ash.

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But God says, I'm going to do a work in these who are plucked from the fire. Remembering Exodus 28.

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Look at verse 3. Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and was standing before the angel.

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The language of this word, the root of this word is hard. It's the word for human excrement.

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You remember the holy precision of Aaron and his sons as commanded by Moses in Exodus 28?

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Fine linen, purple, gold, jewels, breastplates, ephods, turbans, all of these things.

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Joshua is standing in the throne room, the justice room of heaven, and he's covered in dung.

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This is a terrible vision at the start.

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This is terrifying for Zechariah to see with his own eyes. His friend, one of the best of all the people, he's presented in his natural state before God, before this holy tribunal, and Satan's accusing him.

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Look at his filthy garments. He's covered in it, Satan would say.

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Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, was standing before the angel.

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You and I, according to 2 Corinthians 5, are going to make an appearance in the divine courtroom.

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You and I, in our natural estate, are going to have filthy garments.

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But we have Jesus. Joshua, his namesake, he has

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Jesus in the divine courtroom. Joshua doesn't have a way to atone for his own sins.

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And if you think about it, he's really in a precarious place, because there's no offering structure formally in place as a temple.

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He's covered in his iniquity, standing before a holy God. But what will you do, standing in your iniquity before a holy

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God? But Jesus, our high priest, intercedes.

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He answered and spoke to those who stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him.

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This is amazing. This is mercy and grace and gospel in an obscure prophet in the

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Old Testament. Joshua has no way to make himself right with God.

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He certainly can't be the high priest. He's got his own problems. How is he going to represent the people?

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How is he going to lead the defiled priesthood in righteousness? Look at his defilement.

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Take away the filthy garments from him. And to him, he says,

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See, I have removed your iniquity from you. And I will clothe you with rich robes.

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As you know, in the temple system. There's two offerings that go into prepare to go into the holy place.

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And a lot is cast. And one of them will be slaughtered there on the altar.

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And the other will become the scapegoat and be sent with derision outside of the city into the wilderness.

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This double picture of the removal of sin. The iniquity laid on the victim.

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The sins to be carried away, laid on the scapegoat, and he's driven out into the wilderness outside the camp of the people.

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Joshua has a double problem. He's standing in the presence of God is the high priests and filthy garments.

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His iniquity is deeply personal. It's familial.

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His fathers have failed his people. The people whom he represents, even the elite priest, he represents.

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They've all failed. But our

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God says, Take away the filthy garments from him. See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.

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There's also something very powerfully being spoken to the people then and to you now.

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The people of God standing represented by Joshua here building a temple coming back into the land.

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They have a very bad past. And so the question is, can our

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God remove the iniquity of our past? Does he really do that? This track record is one of failure.

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Joshua should in some ways be disqualified for this work, but he's been preserved by the

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Lord. These priests, they shouldn't serve as the priests of the Lord. And this people of God should not be the people of God.

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God keeps his promises. He says,

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I'm going to not only wipe away the iniquity that you present have presently show and exhibit.

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I'm going to wipe away the iniquity that prevents you should prevent you from serving.

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Joshua's past, his failure is wiped away. The priesthood's failure is wiped away.

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The disobedience that sends Israel into exile in Christ is wiped away that they may now freely serve him.

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See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.

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Joshua is under heavy charges. Satan says, here's your high priest.

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Soiled and defiled and unfit for service. The Lord responds.

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I have clothed him in my righteousness and clothing

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Joshua. I've purified the priesthood. Now they can serve me. God has put

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Joshua and the people out of the fire and restored them to their high place as God's people, as his priests, as the high priest.

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But notice again that Joshua has done nothing to perform any righteous act himself.

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This is gospel in Zechariah. The Lord himself, out of his merciful and gracious abundance, does it for Joshua and for the people in his for his own namesake and glory.

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Consequently, here God's covenant is renewed. Through a restored priesthood ministering in a newly constructed temple, the impurity, the defilement, the soiled garments are purged.

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The past is cleansed, and now righteousness flows down from heaven.

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He even gets a turban put on his head that he might take on that beautiful role.

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Now it continues, and this will be more articulated, more expounded next week.

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From this place of deliverance and salvation and purification, now

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Joshua has to walk in obedience. And walking in obedience, a very strange thing appears, and we'll learn about this next week.

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Joshua has the privilege now of merging the priestly office with the kingly office.

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We're going to see that next week. All of this is picturesque of the glory of our

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Lord Jesus Christ. But to prepare our hearts for communion,

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I thought I would reveal to you and show you from Scripture and Hebrews the more excellent priesthood.

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So I'm going to ask you to turn to the book of Hebrews now, and I want you to think of yourself.

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The vision of Zechariah applied to the people of God residing here, to your own life, to your family, those under your charge and care.

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Fathers, you're standing before God for yourself and for your wife and for your children.

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Mark, you're standing before God as yourself, as a husband, as a father, as a grandfather, and as a minister of the gospel.

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Strict judgment is coming, brother. What can a man do? Let's turn to Hebrews, and we'll start in chapter 2.

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I will shorten the quantity of verses that I refer to, but I think this will be very powerful for us to consider and set the stage well for next week.

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Hebrews chapter 2. The little clue

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I want to give you children is when the final high priest,

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Jesus, stands in the divine court, he's not clothed in soiled garments.

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He's clothed in the perfect fine linen. Whatever the glorious attire of the high priest ought to be,

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Christ has it in superabundance. So if the people can be sanctified by wretched

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Joshua, how much more can the people of God be sanctified in Christ, our high priest?

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Hebrews chapter 2. I'll begin reading in verse 17 of chapter 2.

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Therefore, speaking of Christ, in all things he had to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

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For in that he himself has suffered, being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted.

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Joshua in Zechariah's time represents the people. How much more so does

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Jesus represent us? Turn over to chapter 4. Begin reading in verse 14.

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It says, and there's, of course, that glorious Sabbath vision of heaven and all of the implications of the word of God being sharper than any two edged sword living and powerful.

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All this is the stage verse 13. It says there is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.

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Joshua is laid bare naked in the presence of God. And Satan wants to gut him and wants his intestines to run out that we might see it for God.

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The word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit carves us into pieces and reveals those deep, dark recesses of our lives.

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It's all they bear before our God. It's there in the divine courtroom.

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Nothing is hidden from his sight. All things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.

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But there's Jesus. Verse 14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,

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Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

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We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin.

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Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.

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The picture I have today is me running with my with my garments and saying, I want to be shed free, set free of these garments and clothed in your righteousness.

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And he bids me to come take off your filthy rags and be clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

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Run to the throne room of heaven. Remember, that's where God is.

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The holy fires of heaven reside there. The terrors of the Lord are there. He says, run in there and be clothed in my righteousness.

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Turn over to chapter five. Zechariah chapter three is about Jesus Christ.

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Hebrews five for every high priest.

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Taken from among men is appointed for men and things pertaining to God that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

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He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray since he himself is also subject to weakness.

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Because of this, he is required, as for the people, so also for himself to offer sacrifices for his sins.

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Remember that picture of the man, his own sin, like Joshua.

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He serves in the role. He's the high priest. He represents the priests. He represents his family.

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He represents all of the people. He has to offer sacrifices for his sin, for his priests, for his family, for his wife, for his children, for the nation.

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Verse five. So also Christ did not glorify himself to become high priest, but it was he who said to him, you are my son.

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Today I have begotten you. He also says in another place, you are a priest forever.

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According to the order of Melchizedek, turn over to chapter six.

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We begin reading in verse 13 for when God made a promise to Abraham. These promises are being realized in history and Zechariah, but also in the biggest possible way in Christ.

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He makes a promise to Abraham. He could swear by no one greater. He swore by him, saying, surely blessing.

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I will bless you and multiplying. I will multiply you. When God saw

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Joshua in his soiled robes, he remembered his promise.

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That's the high priest. That's my people. I'm going to make them holy.

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I'm going to sanctify them. I'm going to wash them. Verse 15. So after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise that refers to Abraham.

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For indeed, men swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute.

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Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

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It's Christ. I'm running into the divine courtroom in my soiled garments, yelling

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Christ. His righteousness. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast, which enters the presence behind the veil.

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Do you remember the precision of Exodus 28, the sinful condition of Joshua? In Zechariah three, the center crosses the threshold of the veil.

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They're going there. They're cutting through the veil. They're running in there because their forerunner, our

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Lord, our Savior, Jesus Christ has gone in there for us. Turn over to the end of Chapter seven.

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Stay with me now. We're almost done. Stay with me. For it is evident, verse 14 of Hebrews seven, that our

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Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

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It should be pointed out to you. Judah is the largest group of people, the tribe of Judah, living and returning to Jerusalem here.

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Moses never speaks of Judah in relation to priesthood. Verse 15 is far more evident.

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If in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.

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He testifies again. You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.

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For on the one hand, there is a nulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness.

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For the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope by which through which we draw near to God.

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Let me tell you something. The blood of bulls and goats is glorious because God appoints it, but it cannot match the sacrifice of the

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Lord Jesus Christ. That's all gone. We don't need a temple.

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In fact, we've learned, haven't we? We are the temple. We don't need a temple built in Jerusalem.

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We are the temple of God, the dwelling place of God and the Spirit. As much as he was made priest without an oath, verse 22, by so much more,

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Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Joshua died.

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Verse 23, there were many priests because they were prevented by death from continuing. But he, because he continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.

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The risen Christ is the forever priest. Verse 25, he is able also to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them.

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Jesus was Joshua's advocate, hopeful of a restoration of a temple service, bringing it to pass providentially.

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How much more so now does Jesus intercede for us after perching us, purchasing us with his own blood?

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Such a high priest was fitting for us who is wholly harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners and has become higher than the heavens.

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Who does not need daily as though priest to offer up sacrifice first for his own and then for other peoples.

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For he did this once for all when he offered up himself. Chapter eight.

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Now this is the main point of the things we are saying. We have such a high priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens.

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A minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord erected.

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And not man. Turn over to chapter nine. Almost there. Chapter nine. The people of God need a priest.

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That's why Joshua has to get cleansed. You and I need a priest.

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We have one. The best one. The greatest one. Christ came as high priest.

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This is verse 11 of chapter nine. Christ came as high priest of the good things to come with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands.

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That is not of this creation. Not with blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood.

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He entered the most holy place once for all. Having obtained the redemption.

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For this reason, verse 15, he is the mediator of the new covenant by means of death for redemption of the transgression under the first covenant.

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That those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. Skip down to verse 23.

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Therefore, it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with ease.

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But the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true.

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But into heaven itself now to appear in the presence of God for us. Now, I want to stop here.

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The last

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Joshua also appears. And the divine courtroom.

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But there's no advocate there. You see. The last

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Joshua. Exchanges his robes. He takes off his righteous robes and hands them to his people.

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And he takes on the soiled garments of his people. Puts them on. And the divine court of heaven pronounces him guilty and sentences him to death.

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But he doesn't remain in that state. He's raised from the dead.

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Verse 25 of chapter 9. He doesn't have to offer himself often. As the high priest does.

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Every year with the blood of another. He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world.

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What an abomination the Catholic mass is. Abomination.

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But now. Once. At the end of the ages. He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

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And as it is appointed for men to die once. But after this the judgment. So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.

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To those who eagerly wait for him. He will appear a second time. Apart from sin for salvation.

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Chapter 10, verse 14. For by one offering he has perfected forever. Those who are being sanctified.

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Finally, chapter 19. Excuse me. Chapter 10, verse 19. Brethren. You now have boldness.

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Think about the terrors of the Lord. And in Christ you now have boldness.

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Zechariah is looking at Joshua. He goes, man, this is terrifying. He looks upon us in Christ and says you have boldness to enter the holiest.

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By the blood of Jesus. By a new and living way which he consecrated through the veil for us.

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Through the veil. That is his flesh. And since we have a high priest over the house of God.

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Let us draw near with a true heart. And full assurance of faith.

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Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. And our bodies washed with pure water.

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All of your sin. All of your wretchedness washed and purified by the blood of Christ.

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Therefore let's hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. For he who promised is faithful.

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Let us consider one another. In order to store up love and good works. Do not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

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As is the manner of some. But exhort one another. And so much the more as you see the day.

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Approaching. We still need a priest. You're clothed in filthy rags.

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But Jesus. Your righteousness. Has given you his robes.

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Surely the priesthood has been purified forever. And if we have a perfect priesthood that's been purified forever.

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Surely the people of God themselves. Have been purified forever.

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Can't wait to see what happens. Next week in chapter three. Please pray with me.

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Lord we. We forget sometimes.

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Of our natural estate apart from Christ. And our sin. We don't see the great gulf.

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The chasm that exists between. A sinful people and a holy God. We see

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Lord and we rejoice that you take. A sinner like Joshua. And make him fit for service.

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And Lord you do that for us as well. You take away all of our sin and.

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Remember it no more. And say walk now in my righteousness. And be fruitful in your service to me in my kingdom.

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Oh Lord I pray that. That your people today would lay the heavy burden of sin down again.

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We do have a list of accusations.

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We have a troubled past. We have failed you even this week. And are striving to walk in righteousness even this week.

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Oh Lord we have looked back. I pray oh Lord that you would give your people confidence today.

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And that their hearts knowing. And the perfection of your priestly service on our behalf.

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That they could have a bold approach and access to you. Oh God in the throne room of heaven.

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What a glorious thought. Nothing compares to this sweet communion you have secured for us in Christ.

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Oh Lord I pray that your people would treasure it. And live every day.

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In light of this glory. We ask these things in Jesus name. Let us continue our worship through the presentation of our tithes and offerings.

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Please stand and let us pray. Our gracious God and Father.

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We thank you that you have given us all things. All that we have and all that we are.

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We are thankful Lord for this opportunity. To give back a portion which you have given us.

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That it would be the sign of our grateful and contented hearts. That it would be a sign of our trust in you.

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That it would be a sign that we are seeking first your kingdom and your righteousness.

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And trusting in you for all things that we have need. We pray

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Father that as we receive these that we would use them for your glory. And we ask all of these things in Christ's name.

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Amen. Hearing how great the love the Father has had for us.

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Let us join our voices together heartily singing the Gloria Patri. Lift up your hearts.

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We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord. It is good and right so to do.

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It is right and a good and a joyful thing. That we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you.

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Oh Holy Lord. Father almighty everlasting God. Because you sent your beloved son to redeem us from sin and death.

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And to make us heirs in him of everlasting life. That when he shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world.

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We may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.

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Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven. We proclaim and magnify your glorious name.

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Evermore praising you and singing. Please be seated.

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And let us pray. Almighty God our Heavenly Father. Who of your tender mercy gave your only son

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Jesus Christ. To suffer death upon the cross for our redemption. Who made there by his one oblation of himself one offered.

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A full perfect and sufficient sacrifice. Oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world.

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And that institute and in his holy gospel command us. To continue a perpetual memory of that his precious death.

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Until his coming again. Hear us oh merciful father we beseech you.

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And grant that we receiving these creatures of bread and wine. According to your son our savior

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Jesus Christ. Holy institution and remembrance of his death and passion. May be partakers of his most blessed body and blood.

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The apostle Paul recorded for us. That in the night in which our lord was betrayed he took bread.

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And when he had given thanks he broke it. And gave it to his disciples saying take eat.

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This is my body which has been broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

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Likewise after supper he took the cup. When he had given thanks he gave it to them and said drink eat all of this.

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For this is my blood in the new cup. This is a new covenant in my blood which has been shed for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

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As often as we eat this bread and drink of this cup. We proclaim the lord's death until he comes again.

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Therefore we proclaim the faith. Christ has died. Christ is risen.

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Christ will come again. As we approach the table let us join our voices in prayer. We do not presume to come to this your table.

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O merciful lord. Trusting in our own righteousness. And in your manifold and great mercies.

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We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs from your table. But you are the same lord who always shows mercy.

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Grant us therefore gracious lord. So to eat the flesh of your dear son

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Jesus Christ. And to drink of his blood. That our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body.

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And our souls washed with his most precious blood. And that we may evermore dwell in him.

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And he in us. Amen. Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us.

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The gifts of God for the people of God. Thanks be to the lord. Let us pray.

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Let us make this prayer of commitment together. Let us pray. Almighty and ever living

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God. We thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food. Of the most precious body and blood of your son.

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Our savior Jesus Christ. And for assuring us in these holy mysteries.

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That we are living members of the body of your son. And heirs of your eternal kingdom.

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And may the lord grant us this other benefit. That you will never allow us to forget these things.

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But having them imprinted on our hearts. May we grow and increase daily.

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In the faith which is at work in every good father. Send us out to do the work you have given us to do.

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To love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our lord. To him, to you, to the holy spirit.

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The honor and the glory. Please stand. Receive the high priestly blessing.

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The lord bless you and keep you. The lord make his face to shine upon you. And be gracious to you.