Tape 2 - The Word Became Flesh & Blood of the Lamb Pt. 1

You will open to John the first chapter We're talking about the tabernacle in Christianity the

Christ life Christ the Christian life the Christian walk as is seen in the tabernacle in the wilderness all the wilderness tabernacle last evening we talked about the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building

Hebrews 9 11 and We saw very clearly how the tabernacle was a picture of Christ and we talked about how the furniture in the tabernacle was arranged in the shape of a cross and So what we'll do is each night we will have one central theme that we'll deal with Tonight our central thinking is the word became flesh

The word became flesh and of course we would naturally go to the gospel according to John The first chapter verse 1 in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was

God The same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not anything

Made that was made in him was life And of course this the antecedent pronoun this is dealing with the word and was not anything made that was made in him was life

And the life was the light of men and the light shineth in darkness We talked about how the veil of the temple was run into and we talk about the darkness over the earth and when

Christ died Light came back into the world and the darkness Dissipated and the light shineth in darkness and darkness overcame it not

There was a man came from God whose name was John The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe

He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light That was the true light which lighted every man that cometh into the world

He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not He came unto his own and his own received him not

But as many as received him to them gave you the power to become the children of God even to them

Who believed upon his name are committed themselves to surrender them think themselves to his name?

Who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man? but of God and the word was made flesh and tabernacled dwelt

Tabernacled among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the

Father Full of grace and of truth now in the 39 books of the Old Testament We see that shadow of the cross in your mind

The Old Testament and you can picture that tabernacle where those five pieces of furniture

Range like a cross and if you just kind of use your imagination a little bit you can picture the 39 books of the

Old Testament Covering all of the history of the people of Israel and up over that you could picture the shadow of the cross

Displaying itself down in those books you have that but in the Gospels such as the gospel according to John The cross is no longer a shadow.

It is no longer horizontal It is vertical. It has been raised and the choir sang that beautiful song if I be lifted up If I be lifted up and so he would want draw all men unto himself all attention would come to him and so our central thought is the word became flesh and dwelt among us now in Exodus chapter 25 if you will look at it

And I hope that you're able to write down make notes because we'll be giving you some interesting facts tonight That are not common facts.

We'll be doing that all along the week But Exodus 25 verse 8 God states the primary purpose if I ask the question

Why did God build the tabernacle would get many answers and most of them would be true But he gives us the primary purpose for the building of the tabernacle

Exodus 25 verse 8 and let them make me a Sanctuary a holy dwelling place a holy house that I may dwell among them and So the central purpose was it was to be put up in the center of a camp and all the tribes would be around it

So that the people now watch my words could know and would know that God could dwell amongst them

God could because there were times when he didn't and So that was the reason that it was there now

It was to prepare the minds of the men and the people the human mind for the stupendous truth of the incarnation of God That God was going to dwell amongst people

God dwelt in ancient days in this tabernacle in the wilderness that was made with hands

But when God came in the body of the Lord Jesus as we've said time and again and scripture tells us Hebrews 9 11

That he came and he was that greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building now the

Tabernacle was a perfect type a perfect picture a perfect symbol of the incarnation

Perfect the tabernacle was portable wasn't it? That's one thought it was portable

It was taken from place to place Throughout the wilderness when God came to dwell in the greater and more perfect tabernacle

He dwelt in the portable tabernacle of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ who went from place to place according to God's direction

He too was portable the wilderness tabernacle moved only at the order of God who directed its moving by The means of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night and Jesus Christ that greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands moved only at the direction of God if there's one thing that Jesus said over and over again

It was I have not come to do my own will but the will of him who sent me I have meek that you know not of I have come to do the will of the father not my will but thine be done

He said I came not of myself But the father he sent me and he only moved at the direction of God as did that tabernacle now listen

Although that wilderness tabernacle was exquisitely beautiful on the inside it had an extremely plain

Exterior it was other amazing. It was covered with brown badger skins

And if you've ever seen a badger skin if you ever seen most skins unless they're up into the mink clash

You know or something of that nature They're not very attractive if you just look at what's trapped it really isn't they were covered with brown badger skins and from the outside The tabernacle look like any of the other buildings or tents of the

Israelite because it was constructed of earthly material Christ also look like other men from the outside because he was bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh

But he was entirely different on the inside on the inside because in him dwelt the fullness of the

Godhead bodily Bodily they said show us God. He said if you have seen me you have seen

God Jesus is God seen the Holy Spirit is God since you cannot see

God God is spirit God is an omniscient spirit, and you can't localize him and get him into one location

Christ look like other men from the outside now the walls of both the holy place and The Holy of Holies were of gold and the ceilings and the curtains were of the most beautiful colors and fabrics

And we're going to talk about those very interesting where they came from blue purple scarlet white fine linen

I'll tell you now that the scarlet came from the tolrat Shania Which was a worm and the purple came from the murex trunculus

Which was a little shellfish, and we'll explain that to you as we move through But it's a very beautiful thing that Christ tells us about in the

Psalms the prophetic Psalms But you have the blue and the purple the scarlet the white fine linen and all of us with all of it was embroidered

With actual gold embroidery in the design of the heavenly cherubim upon them now no light from the outside world

Could enter the tabernacle and the light from the Shekinah glory on the ark of the covenant and the

Holy of Holies itself Reflected on the golden walls and the lovely ceiling and the veil no outside light was allowed in that tabernacle

At all and especially in the Holy of Holies it did not need any light because in that place

God's glory shined and in the holy place the light came from the golden candlesticks seven of them

And it lit the golden table of showbread and the golden altar of incense and it shed its soft light on the magnificently blessed colors of the purple the scarlet and the white fine linen as I've tried to picture it in my mind what it might be like Because the words that you read in the books and the descriptions just do not convey the exquisite beauty of that place

It was unbelievable the beauty of it, but there is something strange about this building gold all in the

Holy of Holies Golden embroidered and beautiful can do you know the value of that candlestick?

We'll get into it as the week goes along, but it was valued at over a hundred thousand dollars just for that golden candlestick

But friends there's something wrong with this building. Have you noticed it? Have you thought about it? There is something wrong strange

It has no floor It has no floor Did God make a mistake in a beautiful building and not put a floor in it?

Did the divine architect of the universe omit it purposely perhaps? Why was there no floor not even a rug or a mat?

There was nothing in the floor of the wilderness tabernacle now God knew

That the only floor in that beautiful tabernacle was dirty wasn't a mystery to God. He certainly knew it it was the sands of the wilderness wasn't it the dirt that brings forth thorns and Thistles the dirt that had received the blood of righteous

Abel when his brother Cain murdered him and the blood of millions of men And women who have died upon the battlefields that was the only floor in that magnificent structure called the wilderness tabernacle now

God knew it very well Because when you read numbers the fifth chapter if you're writing these down when you read numbers the fifth chapter

He gave instructions to what the priest should do when an Israelite wife proved unfaithful

God knew it was dirt because the priest was told by God to go into the tabernacle pick up some of the dirt off of the

Floor mix it with water at the brazen labor and then throw it at that adulterous wife and curse her

Seven times with the curse of God Now Why was there no floor there is a beautiful and subtle reason why there was no floor the tabernacle?

we say is the perfect picture of the incarnation of God and In the incarnation that God demonstrated for the world

God came all the way Down to the earth where we live he came all the way down in other words

The tabernacle without a floor was a perfect picture of the perfect incarnation of God who actually became man and dwelt on this sin

Cursed earth he walked it God in the flesh walked it now

What was the first temptation that Satan the devil hurled at Christ after 40 days of hunger in the wilderness?

It was basically this don't make this a real incarnation It's all right for you to become partially human, but you must not go all the way you don't have to feel hunger as human beings do you can make what bread out of stones if you want to and Satisfy your hunger, but Jesus Christ knew that a real incarnation and a real atonement were absolutely necessary Philippians 2 verses 2 and following he became obedient to death.

He was made in fashion as a man and Being found in fashion as a man he became obedient unto death even the death of the cross

He knew he thought it not robbery to be with God, and he knew about all this and so this is what happened now

Let's see how complete absolute the incarnation was the winds of the desert and the winds of the wilderness

Blew around all the other tents and buildings of the Israelites But everything was calm and beautiful inside that holy tabernacle.

There was no disturbance It was perfectly calm in there so also did the winds of temptation blow around the

Lord Jesus Christ But everything within him was serene calm and beautiful He was in all points tested like as we are yet without sin

I'm gonna give these to you about four different ways and you can learn something right here The Jews shall expound to the

Gentiles He was tempted physically the lust of a flesh make bread out of these stones

Make them that was the lust of the flesh this was appeal to his physical desires He was tempted physically he was tempted mentally

Mentally the pride of life fall down off the pinnacle of the temple Don't you worry about it the angels will lift you up.

You'll not even stomp your toe. He was tempted spiritually the lust of the eyes

Had the spiritual nature it appealed to him fall down and worship me And I will give you the kingdoms of the world for they have been delivered unto me

Whomsoever I will Satan told Jesus and Jesus didn't say you don't have them because he did have them by right of conquest

He took the rule back from Adam God had given it to Adam and Satan come and defeat him and took it back God said

Adam have dominion over the earth Satan came down Adam sin, and so Satan by right of conquest That's why Jesus went in the wilderness most people think

Jesus was out there hiding from Satan. He was waiting on him He was going to by right of conquest take the septon rule back from Satan And he did so now the

Bible says he was tempted in all points like as we are Every sin that you'll ever face in your life

Every sin that confronts you and me Falls into one of three categories the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life every sin

That's why you go back into first Peter And it says all that is in this world The lust of the eyes the lust of flesh and the pride of life you don't have a trouble name

See it's right there. It'll be in one of those three all right now Here's what it is lust of the eyes lust of the flesh the pride of life spiritual physical mental or body mind spirit either way you want to look at it and friends that is the total person and Jesus was tested and the word tempted is a misuse of a word it means

Tested now why to prove that Jesus could have could not sin friends Jesus knew he wasn't gonna sin God knew he wasn't but it proves to the one who does the testing

That he could pass the test it defeats the one doing the testing it has nothing to do with the one who was tested

He was God Could he have sinned he could never sin, but could he be tested yes because the test proves to the one given the test

You face that in school. Don't you all the time you go take a driver's test. You know you can pass it

You don't have to sweat it you got to prove to that guy you can pass it You got to prove it to him didn't do anything for you did it excite you when you took it didn't excite me

You get an emotional thrill. I'm taking a chance to hand to the state policeman. No But when you saw he was pleased and put a passing grade down there

Well, that's the same way with the Lord friends Jesus knew what was going on in this world He knew it before the foundations of the world he was with God the

Father. He is God Was he man yes He was tempted in every way don't let it throw you the

Lord Jesus Christ came all the way down to this earth Just as the old world in his tabernacle rested upon this cursed earth and dwelt amongst us also

There was no beautiful floor. There was no beautiful carpet Christ came all the way down And that's why the

Bible says the word became flesh was he really human Did he ever get tired?

Did he ever go hungry? Was he ever thirsty in John the fourth chapter you read about him get him tired.

It says Jesus therefore being wearied rest did by the well He was tired

Rested by the well in Mark. He was on a fishing trip. He was in the end of part of the ship He was asleep on a pillow now a 30 year old man

We'll have to be tired to go back in the back of a ship and sleep. He's 30 year old outdoorsman He knew not to walk there where he went ate bread and cheese most time little fish thrown into his die

Worked in the company shop. Listen, he walked everywhere. You know, I ride I get outside my air -conditioning. I have a collapse

Now I know you don't have a problem with that I know you probably walk everywhere you're on the economy kid Most of you just walk to church today.

You know, I thought about running from Fort Worth jogging over You believe that and I have another one to tell you

But listen to me the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled and the little boat heave to and fro and the boat was being filled with water and It was cast upon the bosom of the tempestuous sea, but the tired one slept on 30 years of age

He would have really had to be tired But he slept on and they said master don't you care that we perish

And he said where is your faith? And he got up and he calmed the sea to sleep and made it as smooth as a pavement and he hushed the wind to Silence and there was a calm and there was peace on the cross

He said I thirst to the condemnation of sinful men And there was not even a cup of water for him who created all the streams and the brooks and the rivers and all the

World, but there wasn't a cup for him to drink. It was a complete incarnation God became absolutely human in the person of Jesus Christ.

He knew moments and hours of sorrow He loved little children. He loved the birds and the sunsets.

He spoke of them. He attended suffers frequently He attended a supper with Simon Zacchaeus Mary and Martha.

He enjoyed life He began his public ministry where at a wedding in Canaan Galilee One of the great events of living a marriage ceremony.

That's where he began his public ministry and he loved music He sang a song at the

Last Supper. It says when they had sang at him They went out on the Mount of Olives We have not a high priest who is not touched with the feelings of our infirmities and John 1135 says what?

Jesus wept Some of y 'all start looking at your Bible Jesus wept my friends

He was tested in every way that you and I are tested and we don't have to be succumbed to it or don't have to Succumb to it either.

All right and talk about the humanity and the Godhead God in Christ You've got to talk about wood and gold when you come to the tabernacle the wood in the wilderness tabernacle

Represents the humanity of our Lord Incidentally, it was acacia wood. If you want to know what kind of wood was used

It was acacia wood and that is the wood that grows in the desert like a root out of a dry ground

Like a root out of a dry ground But the wooden boards of the tabernacle walls were covered with magnificent gold and the gold represents the deity of our

Lord And this is very plainly seen when one considers the golden ark inside the Holy of Holies the sides and the bottom of the ark were made of wood covered with gold and the lid of the ark was a

Solid gold and as we said last evening was called the mercy seat now that ark in the Holy of Holies was

Intended by God to foreshadow Christ and we know that it's so and it's clear from the fact that it kept something for us that no

One else could keep what was it keeping that no one else could keep it kept the law It kept the law who kept the law

Jesus kept the law. He's the only one that ever did it kept the law for us The Ten Commandments were inside that also inside that was the pot of manna with many ramifications

But it represented Jesus as the bread of life and it also had Aaron's rod that budded now, how do you get a rod?

first of all You've got to go out my friends and you have got to cut something and this was a type of a resurrection of the

Lord Jesus Christ it had to be cut from a tree a tree and This fact was a type of the death of Christ and this rod that was cut from a tree and supposedly was dead

Budded and blossomed it bloomed and that is a picture of the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ when he seemingly was dead

He blossomed into life. And so we have a picture of it inside that the tabernacle was not only made of wood

We say it was also covered with gold The word is a type of his humanity the gold is a type of his deity and remember that Jesus Christ was human but don't ever forget he was more than human and No matter what

Jesus Christ superstar says and no matter what Mary Magdalene in that abominable thing says and that Musical abomination as far as Christianity is concerned and she says

I don't know how to love him He is just a man and only a man and that's false He is a man, but he's more than a man.

He is a God man and We must never forget that a merry human

Christ would be no avail for me You when I die and I'm put in a coffin and six feet under the ground.

What good would a human Christ do me? He wouldn't do me any good No but I have someone who could reach down through that dirt and he can take my hand with a grip of a lion of The tribe of Judah and he can say come forth and I can come out of there

Christ stood at the tomb of Lazarus who was dead and he wept What was he when he wept

When Christ cried come forth. What was he? He was very God of God when he was asleep in that little boat that we mentioned during the storm on the

Sea of Galilee What was he but when he stood up on that ship and cried to the winds and the waves peace be still

What was it? He again was very God of God and that is why the world in this tabernacle was made of wood

Symbolizing the humanity of Jesus and gold symbolizing the deity of Jesus now in order to save us from real sin and a real

Satan and a real hell. He had to become completely incarnate and make a completely real atonement in This way he came all the way down the tabernacle had no floor

Now what was the last temptation that confronted Christ? What was the last keen Temptation it was very subtle wasn't it that Satan hurled at him through a group of kind -hearted

Well -meaning women they offered him a cup of wine mixed with myrrh just as he was marching up to Golgotha to be crucified and this forms an anesthetic opiate and They offered it to him and even the

Roman severity allowed for this to be true They allowed this merciful potion to be given to condemned criminals

But when he tasted thereof the scripture said he would not drink Why wouldn't he drink it because he was going to pay the full price for salvation

He had to feel real nails in real wounds in real hands and in real feet and the agony of the

Crucifixion could not be dulled in any way he came all the way down to the earth

There was no floor in the world of this tabernacle and when he came from heaven He came all the way he touched this dirty old earth

And when he went back through the clouds into heaven carrying a poor lost thief in his bosom Nobody in heaven or hell had any doubt but that the incarnation had been complete that it was he paid it all we say

Jesus paid it all now friends the incarnation was only a part It was only a part of a price that the

Lord paid to redeem us His price was so terrible that it had to be paid in five installments

Five installments I give them to you. They're all mentioned in Philippians. You know them well Christ thought that being on equality with God was not a thing to be grasped after he released it

Philippians 2 he released it in order to save us from our sins. He made himself of no reputation

Now no good thing come out of Nazareth No good thing come out of Galilee Nothing could come out of a carpenter shop while they met

Jesus the son of Joseph the carpenter no reputation He was made in the likeness of sinful men

Being found in fashion as a man he became obedient until he was subservient to the will of God He gave up his rightful ownership to heaven.

He gave it all up and became obedient and the Bible says he grew in his sufferings and obedience and Then he died he gave himself up even to death on the cross now

He paid the first four of those installments without hesitation But my friends at the fifth one there was a hesitation

On the fifth one he hesitated you study the last 24 hours of our Lord's life

And it'll bear out this fact during this period of his life our Lord uses the first personal pronoun

He gives expression to his own feelings He pleads for pity and companionship and he asks the father if it be possible

Let this cup pass from me this fifth installment was foreshadowed in two of the most poignant services connected with the wilderness tabernacle

Let's listen to the Lord and watch him during those last 24 hours of his life. Here's what he said with desire

I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I Suffer again.

He said my soul is exceedingly Sorrowful unto death again. He said

Terry here and watch with me Encourage me stand with me just for a little while stay here and watch with me

And then he said what could you not watch with me just one hour couldn't you stay with me for an hour? I need you for just one hour

The agony our Lord Jesus faces is so terrible that we see him asking help and seeking aid from the poor fishermen

Peter James and John won't just stay with me for just a little while watch with me for a few moments

Then he comes back and finds him sleeping. Couldn't you just watch with me for an hour my friends? He is speaking out of the agony of his life.

Couldn't you just watch with me for a little while? well He goes deeper into the garden and mark

John Mark Mark's gospel. He is the only gospel writer who uses a particular term

Regarding Jesus which makes his statement one of the most poignant in the Bible What do you say the most awesome scripture in the

Bible is what would you say? The most awesome statement in the Bible is may I share with you what I personally believe the most awesome

Sentence in the Word of God is simply when Jesus said my God my God Why has thou forsaken me my friends?

That is awesome when you think about what he was saying when you think about all that could be behind there and you and I'll never

See it That is reserved for only God himself to know But I think of the awesomeness of that statement

But there is a soul shaking sentence and it's used by Mark to describe the agony of Jesus as our

Lord approached the crucial hour He said he began to be sore and the word is amazed

He began to be sore amazed and then followed that bloody sweat and agony as he cried to the father

Oh my father if it is possible, let this cup pass for me Well, what was the cup we could speak a whole message on that and you could do was it is death

No, was it death? He was afraid of no. Was it the agony? No, then what was it?

You find it in 2nd Corinthians, don't you? Let's look at it 2nd Corinthians 5, you know it already

But let's just look at it so that you can mark it down in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 we find out exactly what it was.

It helps us understand the answer chapter 5 of 2nd Corinthians verse 21 For he hath made him who knew no sin

To be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God In him he who knew no sin

Became sin for us in 1st Peter It says his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree

Isaiah 53 6 says the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all

Do you see a wonderful truth there? Our Lord Jesus not only bore the penalty for our sins.

He bore our sins Not just the penalty. He bore the sins

In his own self, he not only took the punishment He took the sin he his own self bore our sins

And the Lord knew this to be the deeper truth of the atonement and in the wilderness Tabernacle and the services connected therewith he foreshadowed it

Plainfully and wonderfully the priest went down to the Roman altar of the brazen altar of sacrifice

And they received a spotless little lamb and there they shed its atoning blood

But first the priest raised his hands over the people and over himself and then

Rested his hands upon the head of that innocent lamb. He raised his hands over the people He raised his hands up over himself

And then he leaned over and rested his hands upon the head of that innocent lamb Now if I ask you the question, what was that priest doing?

You know it Well, he was setting aside that lamb for the sacrifice But when he puts his hands on the head of that little lamb, he was doing something more.

He was symbolically Transferring the sins of the people and of himself to that innocent little lamb his own self bore our

Sins on the tree and to make that tremendous truth still plainer God directed in the wilderness tabernacle services the following ritual which shows the two great aspects of the atoning work of Christ Forgiveness and forgetfulness

Forgiveness of sin and the remission of sin the forgiving and the forgetting concept of redemption.

You know them well The first aspect of the atonement is that the Lord took the penalty for our sins

And the second aspect is that he actually took our sins into and upon his own body

This explains why he cried father if it's possible let this cup pass for me and it also explains that the expression

Soar amazed and it's also amazing to me that Luke Uses a word that nobody else uses it says he being in an agony

And that is the word agonia and the Holy Spirit only uses that word one time in the 66 books of Bible And it is only used for the excruciating sufferings of the

Lord Jesus Christ if there is a word mean name agony in Bible But it is a different word

It is not that word that word only appears one time and it's in reference to the sufferings of Christ He being in an agony that no human being would ever experience

And the Holy Spirit picked up one word It buys a new word and only allows that word be used one time and makes in reference to matchless

Son of God and does not Allow the word to be used ever again, although those men knew the words well, and they wrote many things

But they never used that again But my friends the phrase in an agony and soar amazed to describe the soul agony of Jesus on the way into Gethsemane Here is the ritual which foreshadows the second aspect to he goats to male goats without spot or blemish and with no bone broken and all the other numerous features that we gave you 11 of them last evening

Necessary to foreshadow to picture to symbolize to be a type of the perfect sacrifice of the

Lord Jesus these two male goats were brought to the high priest before the altar sacrifice now the high priest laid his hands again

Upon one of the goats as he had on the little lamb and then that goat was just sacrificed

They just killed it as he put his hands upon them and the second goat was laid up there, but he required a different service

He was brought to the high priest into his presence and the hands of the priests were raised above the

Congregation and then they were raised above himself and then they were laid on the head of the goat

But in order of the foreshadowing of the second aspect of the atonement of Christ the goat with the sins on its head on its innocent head was led by a

Levi out of the court into the wilderness and into the land of Nod and was released never to come back again

It was gone and It is that taking of his sins

Into his own body that made him cry father if it be possible Let this cup pass from me, but you can thank

God and you best thank God That the three times that he cried that out. He closed up a saying not my will but thine be done

Friends the thing that his holy soul shrank from was becoming sin for you and me

The only thing that would make his holy soul shrink. He confronted the Jews under the threat of death

Everywhere he went he knew he was at the point of death. They took up stones to kill him several times

He stood before the leader of the land and said you couldn't do anything if my father didn't want you to do it

He was unafraid He stayed 40 days and nights out in the wilderness with the wild animals and beasts the

Bible says and he was unafraid He wasn't afraid to die But the thing that caused his soul to shrink back and to cry out to God was his holiness could not tolerate sin and Yet he was not only gonna pay the penalty for those sins and die

He was going to actually take the sins of mankind and my friends when he said it is finished as we mentioned last evening

I believe in those moments prior to that Fulfillment of Isaiah 53 6 and God laid on him the iniquity of us all

Sin came upon his precious body and he his own self Bore our sins in his own body on the tree

Is it any wonder that he would cry out old father if it's possible

Let this cup pass for me. Oh God if it's possible remove this cup from me.

Oh good If it's possible take this cup away from me nevertheless

Not my will but thine be done my friends he Resented and resisted becoming sin

But as he struggled through that battle his heart and life was totally committed to the will of God as he was in the flesh

And he surrendered to the will of God and that's why he went to the cross. I have a question for you

What does that mean to you? Personally, we know about it. We sing about it.

We talk about it. But what does it mean to you personally? personally

Your sins and mine put him on the cross The song says were you there?

When they crucified my lord. Yes Yes, but you know if that had been me

I hate hesitate tell you what I probably would have done If I were

God, I would have already annihilated the human race My patience would have run short a long time ago

But aren't you grateful that God doesn't deal with us the way we deal with him Aren't you glad that God's more faithful than we are?

God's more faithful to you and me than we are to him God is long -suffering and he's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and Once you come to repentance

We ought to walk in the light as he is in the light and we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his son keeps on cleansing from all sin.

What does that mean to you personally you said means everything to me. I Have a question

That I want to ask you and it's simply this Who gives your life its meaning tonight

Who is the central one of your life? Who had you rather please

Than anyone else in this world is Pleasing Christ more important to you than pleasing this world system in which you live

Where does your allegiance really and truly lie this night

In what or in whom does your trust? depend You say

Jesus the truth And he had some things to say in John 14 and John 15.

He said if you love me He said you are my friends if you do

What I command you And he said in this is my father glorified

That you bear much Fruit, but what did he say right before that John 15 8?

so then Are you my disciples? You are my disciples

In This is my father glorified That you bear much fruit and then we'd be as disciples if we bear much fruit.

What are the fruits three? the fruits of righteousness the fruit of the

Spirit and the fruit of winning converts Now you know what I'm about to say when was the last time you personally led somebody to Jesus Christ When was the last time that you personally?

Sat down with somebody talked with somebody wrote somebody a letter sent somebody some information

Somehow or other God was able to use you as an instrument as a tool to change another life

For the cause of Christ and I'm convinced that most of you sweet people will have to bow your head in embarrassment and shame

Because you have enjoyed your fellowship so much and you've enjoyed your Christianity so much

And you've enjoyed your salvation so much and there's nothing wrong with any of those that you have forgotten that there is a commandment to proclaim the gospel to every creature and You and I don't have a choice about that matter

We are going to do it or we're not going to have God's blessings upon our life one of the two one of the two and If every one of you here tonight who's a member of this church wins one person to Christ in the next 52 weeks

You will double your congregation basically Now there's nobody here that can't win one person to Christ Even little

Randy even some little children can win one person to Jesus. I Know a little boy that's 12 years old that won a hundred and something junior college students to Christ in one year

Weather for junior college Look at 12 years old He goes down and challenges them quote some scripture read them the

Bible. These kids are fascinated with him. They wind up getting saved. I Know a little eight -year -old boy

That went to school and in the first year won ten Of his little friends to Christ and his mom and dad were able to go and share with the parents

Not all the parents became Christians, but those little kids are doing great When was the last time

Someone has said all thank you. I know Jesus now and it's because God used you.

Thank you How many gonna be in the heavenly portals and say oh, I'm so glad to see you I'm here because you witnessed to me

You didn't remember it because I didn't like it at that time and I didn't get saved but brother You know I went off somewhere and they'll tell you story they'll be there because you'd planted a seed and somebody else came along and watered and somebody else bore the fruit, but friends if you don't plant the seed you don't share in the rewards and You ought to be planting seed

You ought to be planting seed everywhere you go seed scatterers go out and scatter it, but if you don't sow

You're not gonna reap. Oh You'll reap disobedience But I'm afraid we're not sowing

I'm afraid we're selfish I'm afraid we're greedy with the gospel I'm afraid that we're more concerned about ourselves

Then we are winning people to Christ at school On the job and our leisure our recreation

And your church has a sweet sweet fellowship And it's such a delight and a joy to be around you

And you minister to my heart just being in your presence But since I have known you

I believe that every time I've been with you I can honestly say to you with all of my heart and with the love that you

Know I have for you There is still one thing you lack you're in danger of losing your first love and That is to share your

Christ With whoever you can Whoever you can and there are many we can meet him all the time meet him every day

Control the conversation you control it and draw it around to your Lord and God will bless you you see if I'll be faithful in doing that I might say something to someone and share some scripture

They may pass your way And you might be able to say something else and they might move along and pass someone else's way

And they'd say something else and but then the Holy Spirit has got them Drawing them and they become a

Christian you've seen it happen you have Let's be much aware that it's wonderful to study

God's Word and to worship the Lord and fellowship together But if it doesn't transfer itself out into bearing fruit my friends.

It is vain It's vain, and it will accomplish nothing and I know that's not your desire, so let's pray together father

I Thank you for these faithful people Lord we thank you

That God was in Christ Reconciling the world and himself we thank you that in the

Lord Jesus who walked to the sandy shores of Galilee The same Jesus that called upon that cross is the same one who rose from the dead and who is coming again

We thank you that in him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily We thank you father that nothing was made that was not made by him and for him

We thank you that by him all things consist and cohere and and adhere together We thank you father that he could say

I and the father are one and When we want to see you we look at our wonderful Lord, and we see

God personified God as we study this week about that wonderful wilderness

Tabernacle as we move into some of the depths of that thing from tomorrow night on through the rest of the week we'll move into the very depths of it and see the wonders and the holiness of God and The wonders of thy making

God use it to not just give us information and knowledge But use it to help us bear the fruit of the

Spirit in our life May we be loving but may we be bold May we be patient and compassionate

But father may we have that much aggressiveness that would cause us to be willing to share

Christ and To Lord even force the issue In order to get the information of the

Word of God into someone's mind So that the Holy Spirit would have something in that life to work with to draw them to the blessed

Savior Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God logic

Argumentation and none of these things will accomplish it But if we'll share your word you have promised to honor it and to do thy job

May we share scripture, and we make scripture a part of our life. Thank you for that wilderness tabernacle

Thank you that it's a perfect picture of all that is in Christ And it even portrays the

Christian life in so many ways God. Thank you for your love and your grace Thank you for who you are and we praise you that you love us