The Fragrance of Christ

Grace Covenant Reformed Church

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In Psalm 118, beginning in the 22nd verse, we read the following words,

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The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

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This is from Yahweh. It is marvelous in our eyes.

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This is the day which Yahweh has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

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Oh Yahweh, save. Oh Yahweh, succeed. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of Yahweh.

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We have blessed you from the house of Yahweh. Yahweh is God and he has given us light.

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Bind the festival sacrifice with the cords to the horns of the altar.

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You are my God and I give thanks to you.

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You are my God. I exalt you. Give thanks to Yahweh.

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For he is good. For his loving kindness endures forever.

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As we gather this morning, I wanted to begin this time of study in God's word with this particular passage of scripture.

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Because as we are gathered, and as we look back, we are reminded that God is good.

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That his loving kindness endures forever. And as we as Christ Reformed Baptist Church gather this morning, we can look back and see what he has done.

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The work that has been performed in our lives over the last year.

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Today is an important landmark in this church.

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Not because of anything that we as individuals have done. Not because of anything that we have taken upon ourselves.

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But because of what God has done in our lives.

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Today marks our 52nd gathering as a body of Christ.

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And assuming that you remember what that means, because you remember your schooling.

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That means that today is our one year anniversary.

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That first Sunday when we met, gathered in the Nolker's living room. Our whole desire was to glorify

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God. To study his word together. This morning as we meet here, our desire remains simply to glorify

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God. And worship him together. To make him known to the ends of the earth.

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To study his word. That first Sunday as we gathered together, we had an amazing time of worship.

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And then we had an even greater time as we fellowshiped together. And it seems as if none of those things has ended.

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Our worship is still wonderful as we gather. Our times of fellowship are still sweet.

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And over the past year we have seen God work in so many amazing and different ways in our lives.

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That we just want to glorify and praise him. Not only for the past.

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Not only for what's happening even now. But also for what the future will bring.

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One of the things that I am most thankful for.

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Is that he has given me and my family the opportunity to serve.

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A group of believers who are dedicated to bringing glory to God. Being obedient to his word.

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Desiring to grow in grace and knowledge. And the wisdom of the

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Lord. So as we gather with that dedication.

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We turn ourselves once again to our work in the book of Exodus.

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This morning we will actually complete the section of God's commands to Moses.

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Regarding the tabernacle and its implements. And its priesthood. As we have walked through this journey.

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We have seen the many ways in which each of the items that God has commanded to be constructed and fabricated and built.

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Have pointed not only to specific meanings for Israel in that time and in that place.

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But also point forward in redemptive history to the person and the work of Christ.

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Pointing to his work here as prophet. And his continual work in the throne room of God.

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As our great high priest. There have also been leanings along the way that point forward not only to Christ.

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But also to the person and work of the spirit. As he works in our lives as well.

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And as we come to the conclusion of this particular section.

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We see that the remaining two items once again. Point us to Christ and to the

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Holy Spirit. John Calvin regarding this section of scripture wrote these words.

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We now perceive why Aaron was anointed. Because Christ was consecrated by the

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Holy Spirit. To be the mediator between God and man. And why the tabernacle and its vessels were sprinkled with the same oil.

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Because we are only made partakers of the holiness of Christ. By the gift and operation of the

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Holy Spirit. Last week as we looked at the commands regarding the lava.

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We talked about how this was the purification. The final removal of the grime of life from the priest.

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A removal that made it possible for them to enter into the close presence of God.

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And we spoke about how this pointed us to the truth. That even though we as believers are continually in the presence of God.

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That we are to be refined by the Holy Spirit. Refined by the word of God.

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And that a neglect of that creates distance in our fellowship. And in our relationship.

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And in our worship of Almighty God. Just as the lava was negative in the removal of things that hinder us.

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In the sense of taking something away. So this morning the anointing oil that we will talk about is positive.

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In the sense that it is adding to our lives. That which makes us acceptable in his presence.

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So as we study the anointing oil this morning. And be reminded of the incense.

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We will see that both of these things are holy. And that they are used for the purpose by God.

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To set apart those things which are to be most holy.

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We will also notice that both of these items carry with them the same punishment.

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Excommunication from the people of Israel. If they are used for purposes other than what has been specifically identified by God.

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The reason I want to mention this here in this place. Is because we have already covered some of this when we spoke about the golden altar.

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Upon which the incense was burned. It served as a reminder that this is the level of seriousness.

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With which we approach God in worship. So this morning.

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As we read this text together. And we study what it has to teach us.

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Let us approach this with a seriousness. That is befitting the one who created and sustains all things.

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We do that by humbly approaching his word. Not desiring to conform it to what we wish for it to say.

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But to allow ourselves to be transformed. By the renewing of our minds in accordance with his truth.

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So if you will turn with me in your copy of God's word to Exodus chapter 30.

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We will read verses 22 through 38. And I ask that you stand for the reading of God's holy, inerrant, infallible, authoritative, sufficient, and complete word.

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In Exodus chapter 30 beginning in verse 22 and following we find these words.

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Moreover, Yahweh spoke to Moses saying. But as for you take for yourself the finest of spices.

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Of flowing myrrh 500 shekels. And of fragrant cinnamon half as much 250.

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And of fragrant cane 250. And of cassia 500.

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According to the shekel of the sanctuary. And of olive oil a hen.

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And you shall make of these a holy anointing oil. A perfume mixture the work of a perfumer.

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It shall be a holy anointing oil. And with it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony.

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And the table and all its utensils and the lamp stand and its utensils. And the altar of incense and the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils.

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And the lava and its stand. You shall set them apart as holy. That they may be most holy.

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Whatever touches them shall be holy. And you shall anoint

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Aaron and his sons. And you shall set them apart as holy. That they may minister as priest to me.

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And you shall speak to the sons of Israel. Saying this shall be a holy anointing oil to me throughout your generations.

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It shall not be poured on anyone's body. Nor shall you make any like it in the same specifications.

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It is holy and it shall be holy to you. Whoever shall mix any like it or whoever puts any of it on a layman.

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Shall be cut off from his people. And Yahweh said to Moses take for yourself fragrances.

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Stactate and Anika and Galban fragrances with pure frankincense.

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There shall be an equal part of each. With it you shall make incense a perfume.

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The work of a perfumer salted pure and holy. You shall beat some of it very fine.

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And you shall put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting. Where I will meet with you.

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It shall be most holy to you. The incense which you shall make.

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You shall not make in the same specifications for yourselves. It shall be holy for you.

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Holy to you for Yahweh. Whoever shall make any like it to use as perfume.

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Shall be cut off from his people. Our prayer for this morning is adapted from the valley of vision.

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To be fit for our God. Almighty maker and sustainer of all things.

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Lord both day and night. Belong to you. The heavens and the earth declare your glory.

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But we as creatures of your power and goodness have sinned against you.

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By resisting the dictates of conscience. The demands of your law. And the call of your gospel.

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Yet we live under the hope that you have given. Our prayer is that you would deliver us from our worldly dispositions.

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As those born again from above. And bound for your eternal glory. May we see your holiness.

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And desire holiness. As the beauty and the dignity of the soul.

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Lord let us never slumber. Never lose our assurance.

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Let us never fail to put on your armor. As we pass through the land of the enemy.

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Fit us for every scene and circumstance. Lord stay our minds upon you.

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Turn our trials into blessings. That they may draw out our praise and gratitude.

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As we see the effects and designs of your hands. Render our obedience to your will.

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Holy. Natural. Delightful. Transform our lives by the clear, consistent and life changing divine truth.

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Father never let us undervalue or neglect any part of your revealed will.

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May we duly regard the doctrine and practice of the gospel. Treasuring its commands.

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As well as its promises. Sanctify us

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Lord. In every relation. Every office. Every transaction.

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And every condition of life. That if we prosper in this life we are not puffed up with pride.

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And if our trouble befalls us. That we not become overly sorrowful. Balance our minds in every circumstance.

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That we encounter and help us to grow in Christ likeness. Rendering every duty a spiritual privilege.

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In this may we be content that we would glorify you. And be an example to others.

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We ask these things in the name of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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Amen. You may be seated. Well as we enter our text for this morning for the third time in this chapter.

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We see Moses opening up a section of the text with language that reminds us.

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That these are the words of God. Now as we have discussed on the last two occasions where we see this.

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This is a reminder that anytime in scripture we see stuff that is repeated.

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Being something that we should be focusing in on. And paying attention to.

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Here. Once again it's a reminder that these are the words of God.

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And that as the words of God they are to be obeyed. Explicitly. By the priests.

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And the people of Israel. As they conduct their worship of God.

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For us here today. Although it is not a command that we obey in the sense that we are called to mix up this oil.

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This anointing oil. Or put together this incense and burn it before God. It does serve as a reminder that the words of God.

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And have a purpose and a meaning in our lives.

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And they speak to us of the aspects of the Lord Jesus. His earthly work.

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His heavenly ministry. And also of the person and work of the

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Holy Spirit. As we open the passage and begin to look at what we see here.

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One of the most fascinating things that jumps from the page here. Is the level of detail.

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Regarding the specific measurements that we are given. With this anointing oil.

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In fact. Beyond all other implements that are given in scripture.

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In the course of the tabernacle. It's curtains.

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It's clothing for the priest. It's implements within the tabernacle. The altar.

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This is the one thing that we could. If we so desired.

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Put together based on this recipe. The problem with that is we are also given a very stern warning.

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That this is for a specific purpose. And so as we look at this.

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We need to understand. Exactly what is happening. When we look at the words in verse 23.

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That are translated into the English. As take for yourself.

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The command that God is giving Moses here. Is not a command that Moses take these items.

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For himself. And take them to his home. What he is commanding Moses to do.

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Is that Moses is to take the responsibility. Of performing the measurements.

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Of these items. So that it is very precise. And that it is very.

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Specific literally. He is to take this. These measurements.

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Carefully. Put them together. To obtain this.

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Mixture. For the Israelites this care in which this. Mixture was put together would again.

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Remind them of the care and precision. In which they are to obey his commands.

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One of the other things that we have seen repeatedly. As we have worked through this section. Is God reminding

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Moses. And the people of Israel through Moses. That all of these things are to be done.

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Exactly as he commanded them to be done. One of the things that that speaks to us.

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Here this morning. Is that that command does not. Go away.

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The command of God. For us to worship him. Exactly as he has given us.

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The instructions to worship him. Still stand today. In verse 25 this mixture.

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Is called holy. Verses 26 through 29. Give us the specific purpose.

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That it was to anoint all that God had commanded. Regarding the tabernacle. That it may be holy.

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In fact. That it may be most holy. That these things would be set apart.

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By God for his purpose. And his purpose alone.

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You and I sitting here this morning. As a body of Christ.

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Gathered in a local congregation. Have still got the responsibility.

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To worship properly. As the body of Christ. We are.

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Again reminded as we look through this entire. Section that God is not.

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About chaos. But that he is about order. And that he is about precision.

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And that as we worship it is not chaotic. But it is planned.

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And it is purposeful. God has given us the means and plans. For our worship in his word.

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And as we study his word. Our worship should conform. To that which he has revealed to us.

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Not to be based on our personal preferences. Our personal feelings. Our personal thoughts.

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Regarding specific things. But to be held against the standard of his word.

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And his word alone. The mixture itself contains five different elements.

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Four spices and the oil. That binds them together.

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Before we look at the individual elements however. I want you to note in verse 25.

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The command regarding the blending. Of these ingredients.

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It is to be done according to the work. Of a skilled and experienced.

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Perfumer. Now. When this teaches us again of the precision.

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And the necessity for it to be accomplished rightly. But it also gives us a little bit of insight.

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Into how this was actually brought together. Suggesting that the ingredients.

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The dry ingredients were mixed. And then the oil was added. And it would pervade each of the four spices.

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And draw out their essence. Mingling them together into one fragrant mixture.

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Then the oil would be drained off. Retaining the essence of these spices.

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And it would make it simpler to be sprinkled or poured. Upon that which was to be anointed.

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Of the four spices. That we see listed for us.

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Within the text. There are only two. That we can be absolutely sure.

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Of exactly what they were. And so to look at these four spices.

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We're going to take them in reverse order. The final two spices. Identified in the

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LSB version as fragrant cane. And cassia. And they're listed differently in different translations.

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But those two spices. We don't know with 100 % certainty.

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Where they are or what they come from. Which makes it very difficult to.

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Begin to see exactly what they show us. Regarding the person and work of Christ.

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And so we turn to the original language. To begin to try and ascertain at least.

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Something of what they represented for the people. Of Israel and then also. For us here today.

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The final spice listed as cassia. The original Hebrew language.

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Is believed to be derived from. A root that signifies bowing.

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Or stooping in worship. As in submitting oneself.

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Before the Holy God. Interestingly enough. It is only found mentioned specifically.

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In this same exact formulation. In one other place.

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And that is in Ezekiel chapter 27. Verse 19. Where it is identified as one of the.

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One of the things. One of the materials. In which the city of Tyre.

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Is a merchant. It's one of the things.

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Which they handle. That particular chapter. Chapter 29 of Ezekiel is actually a lament.

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Over the city. Of Tyre. Tyre is a representation.

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Of the world that is the system. That we see standing against.

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God. The next chapter. Chapter 28 of Ezekiel.

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We see. The king of Tyre. Presented as Satan.

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That serpent that stood. And tempted in the garden. The enemy seeking to rob.

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God. Of his. Proper. Worship you recall in the encounter between.

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Satan and Christ that one of the. Things that he wanted Christ to do was bow.

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Before him. To which Christ responds that. Worship belongs to God and God alone.

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And so as we look at this particular. Spice. We consider the meaning in the original

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Hebrew. We should see that this is a reminder. That our worship belongs.

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To God. Alone. Scripture teaches us.

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That Yahweh. Is a jealous God.

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That he will not trade his glory. That he will not allow another to be.

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Worshipped in his place. The question is not will we worship.

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The question is who will we worship. You and I as people.

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As creatures. Will worship something. Every man woman and child on this earth will.

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Worship. Something. As we look. Again at the overwhelming commands of God regarding his worship.

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It is clear that not only are we called to worship him and him alone. But we are called to worship him and him alone.

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In the way in which he has instructed. The other thing that we should be reminded of here.

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Is that even though this particular spice. Represents this idea of bowing down of submitting in worship.

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And it is given by God. If used incorrectly.

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If used inappropriately. Then it becomes sinful.

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There are. Truths of scripture that the word of God. The singing of songs and hymns and spiritual songs is to occur.

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Within the body of Christ. But even those things if.

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Used incorrectly. If approached wrongly. If not done in accordance with the word of God.

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Can still be wrong. The fragrant cane.

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The third item that is mentioned. Is thought by many.

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To be what is spoke of elsewhere in scripture as spike not. This particular cane.

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Grew in the swampy areas. And when it was crushed it would.

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Generate a fragrance. A to B pink. Records the words of Samuel right out.

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Regarding this particular item. Its growth in the mire may remind us of one.

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Who in the mire of this world grew up erect. And fragrant.

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For God. Man grows in the mire. And gravitates toward it.

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Like the man with the much. Who was bowed to earth and saw not the crown of glory offer to him.

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But our Lord had his eyes and heart only. On the heaven above.

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The mire of the earth was but the place where he had come for a special work. Men might grovel in that mire as alas we have a job.

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Finds that his self -righteousness was covered with the mire of the ditch. But his surroundings.

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Were only the contrast to that direct and perfect life. Which ever pointed heavenward.

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Christ's treasure. His all was with the father. And wherever he found a bruised reed to lift it from the mire.

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And established it erect. Was the purpose of his heart. As he said to the woman.

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Neither do I condemn thee. This reed.

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Was then crushed. Wicked men took him bound and bruised him.

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But what fragrance has filled heaven and earth. Through that bruising. Again the aromatic odor.

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Of the fragrant cane reminds us that in our Lord there was nothing negative. Or insipid.

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That weak word amiable is unsuitable in connection with him. Thus when the high priest commanded that he be smitten.

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Our Lord neither resents it. Nor cowers under it. But with what holy dignity.

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Did he rebuke that unrighteousness. And bear witness of his kingship.

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Before Pilate. A heavenly fragrance pervaded the judgment hall.

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The vital fragrance and energy of holiness. Bearing witness to the truth.

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Christ's life. Is the fragrance. That goes before God.

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Apart from that fragrance. Apart from the life of Christ. Apart from the work of Christ.

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None of us stands. Before God. In such a way as to be.

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Accepted. And acceptable. But thanks be to God for that bruised reed.

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For that reed that was crushed. So that the fragrance.

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May rise. Before God. This brings us to the second item.

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The item that is identified in scripture as cinnamon.

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And try as I may. I have not been able to determine that it was something other than the cinnamon we have today.

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As much as I dislike the taste of it. I rejoice. In what it represents.

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But it is interesting to note that if we do a brief survey of scripture regarding this particular spice.

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It shows up four times. It shows up here in Exodus chapter 30 pointing to Christ.

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The second is in Song of Solomon chapter 4. Where it is used by the bridegroom to describe the grace that is imputed to the bride.

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Interestingly the other two times that we find cinnamon referenced is in Proverbs 7 and Revelation chapter 18.

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In both of these places it is in connection with the harlot. That was as close as I could come.

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Ultimately. The harlot represented again the worldly system much like tired that opposes

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God. And in both of these places it was used as a lure to attract ungodly men to the ways of the world.

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However when we take a look at the word that is translated into the English in cinnamon.

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In the original Hebrew language. What we find is that it is suggested that it is a original language.

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There are two root words that are found to form this one compound word.

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The first of those actually speaks of jealousy or zeal.

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And the second of appearance. And so the idea that is conveyed here is the appearance of jealousy or zeal towards God.

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Again pink. Quoting right out is very helpful. We need not say that what burning zeal marked our

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Lord's entire life. The zeal of thy house had eaten me up.

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John 2 verse 17. And this was shown in the holy form of jealousy which would purge that house of all the carnal traffic which had been introduced there.

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Love is strong as death. Jealousy is cruel as the grave. The coals thereof are the coals of fire which have the most vehement flame.

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Song of Solomon chapter 8 verse 6. This gives at least a beautiful and significant meaning and accords with the character of our

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Lord. A love which was zeal for God's glory and for the place where his honor dwelleth.

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In love for that he would let his own temple, his holy body, be laid low in death.

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Here we see jealousy in a new form. Jealousy for God alone without one element of selfishness in it.

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The work of Christ willing to go to the cross of Calvary showed his zeal for the

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Lord. It showed his desire to fulfill the

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Father's purpose. Just as the sentiment here reminds the

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Israelites of the zeal that they should have for God.

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So too does it point towards Christ's zeal to submit to the

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Father. It should move forward to us as a reminder that we are to zealously submit to God.

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To be zealous to obey his commands. To be zealous to live according to his truth.

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To have passion for his word.

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So finally, as we have seen that contained within the ingredients thus far of the anointing oil, we have proper worship demonstrated for us.

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We have Christ's perfections in the fragrant cane and his zealousness towards God alone.

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Which brings us to the first spice, myrrh. For most of us sitting here this morning who have spent much time in church of the four, this is probably the most familiar.

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Most will recognize that it is in Scripture made known to us repeatedly, but also that it was one of the three gifts that was laid before King Jesus as he was visited by the wise men.

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It is mentioned some 14 times in Scripture. There are those who would take that opportunity to point out that 14 is 7 times 2, which means double the number of perfection.

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Eight of those times it is used to represent love. Predominantly in Solomon's writings.

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So as we understand that it is used repeatedly to demonstrate love, we also should see the way in which it is used finally in Scripture.

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The final time that we find the word myrrh recorded is in John chapter 19, verse 39, where it reads,

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And Nicodemus, who had first come to him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about 100 liters.

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Litras. Now, you may recognize from the storyline and the placement in Scripture, the words that this is surrounding the death of our

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Lord and Savior. Once again, it is helpful to turn to the words of former writers as we see this described.

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Flowing spontaneously from the tree, as well as through incisions, would suggest on the one hand how willingly

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Christ offered all that he was, even unto death, to God.

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And on the other, the piercing to which he was subjected by man, but which only brought out the same fragrance.

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The bitterness of the myrrh suggests the reality of the sufferings through which

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Christ went and the love which drove him to go through these things.

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It was not physical discomfort and pain. It was not even his physical death that gave such intensity to his suffering.

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But Hebrews 12 .3 identifies it as the contradiction of sinners against Christ.

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As Christ came to the world, he came to a place that literally hated him.

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That was bitter to him. That was an evil place.

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And as he walked this earth in his perfect life, his soul enjoying the fullest communion with the

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Father, sees over and over again what the world, the world that was created, had done.

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Pink goes on to write, He it was who tasted and drank to the dregs the bitter cup of God's wrath against sin.

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But all this bitter experience only furnished the occasion for the manifestation, not only of a devotedness to God, which was perfectly fragrant to him, but of a love to his own, which was as strong as death, and what had been the measure of this love.

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The myrrh, again from its association with death, may well tell us that it passeth knowledge.

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The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me, a measure which cannot be measured, freely flowing from him whose heart was pierced by and for our sins.

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Feeble indeed it is the estimate we put upon that love at best.

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But God estimates it at its full value.

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The once for all sacrifice for all of God's people, given so that we might receive the righteousness of Christ.

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That we might stand before God, not by our merits, not by our efforts, not through our love, but from that of Christ.

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For spices brought together could only have been bound by the oil.

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Typically as we see oil, olive oil mentioned in scripture, it is generally representative of the

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Holy Spirit. One of the ways in which we know that it is tied together with the anointing in the

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Old Testament and the anointing of Christ is through the language that we see in connection with Christ in Acts chapter 10 verse 38.

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You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the

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Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.

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For God was with him. As we look at this anointing oil, it cannot be missed by us the importance of this oil in binding and pervading and uniting these ingredients into a singular anointing oil.

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Just as each one of these four elements helps us to see different aspects and truths regarding Christ, without the oil, like without the

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Holy Spirit in our lives, these four ingredients are just a blend of spices.

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Without the Holy Spirit within our lives, the word of God is meaningless.

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Scripture tells us that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who do not believe. Those who do not believe would not have the indwelling of the

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Holy Spirit. Therefore, the word that they find in Holy Scripture are meaningless in the grand sense of what we are really being shown.

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Calvin paints this in a beautiful light as he writes these words. As the apostle testifies, the sacrifice of Christ's death would not otherwise have been effacious to appease

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God if he had not suffered by the Spirit. And how does its fruit now reach us except because the same

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Spirit washes our souls with the blood which once was shed, as Peter teaches us, who now consecrates our prayers but the

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Spirit, who dictates the groans which cannot be uttered, and by whom we cry,

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Abba, Father. Nay, whence comes the faith which admits us to a participation in the benefits of Christ, but from the same

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Spirit. The power of the

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Holy Spirit has been the topic of much debate in the

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Christian world. One of the things that we as Reformed Baptists are often accused of is that we do not believe in the active work of the

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Spirit. However, if you completely understand what we believe, you would know that this could not be further from the truth.

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For it is by the Spirit Himself that we gain the opportunity to even understand.

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It is by the regenerative power of the Holy Spirit that we even are able to have faith.

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It is by the regenerative power of the Spirit and the continual work, along with the

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Word of God, that we understand what the Word teaches to us. It is this good and gracious gift that allows us to breathe and live according to the

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Word, only by the application of the

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Word of God through the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God that testifies with our spirit, convicting us, directing us, driving us regarding our obedience to the commands of God.

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As the oil is applied to the vessels of the tabernacle, to the clothing of the priest, to the high priest himself, these items are deemed to be set apart as holy, and seeing that they are most holy in the eyes of God.

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The last clause in verse 29, much like the other places that we find this particular clause, has created a little bit of controversy.

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The disagreement centers around what these words literally mean.

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So look for a moment at verse 29, if you will, where it says that they may be most holy. The final clause here being, whatever touches them shall be holy.

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On the one hand, there are those who read this and say, okay, well it makes perfect sense that anyone who touches any of the elements of the tabernacle should be holy, or they shouldn't be touching them.

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This is confirmed for us in Scripture. In incidents, for example, the example of Uzzah and the

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Ark of the Covenant. There are those, however, who will look at this same passage of Scripture and say, well what it says is that anything it touches will then become holy.

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And so the argument has gone on in that similar manner. However, as I have studied through this,

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I have become more convinced that it is a yes and proposition. That instead of it being an either or, it is a yes and.

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That if we look at Scripture and we see that the person that is doing the work of anointing in these cases has been set apart by God, called by God, described as holy, that yes, these should be the only people touching the anointing oil.

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Therefore, whatever touches it should be holy. But what we also see is that as the oil is applied to specific things, it also sets them apart and creates them as holy.

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Meaning whatever the oil is applied to, whatever it touches, again, has now been made holy.

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If you go back to the example I gave a few moments ago, Uzzah was not holy.

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He was not set apart. He was not anointed. And yet as he touched the

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Ark, he did not become holy. He became dead because the

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Spirit of God struck him such because he was disobedient to the Word of God. The Ark itself was holy, set apart by God, anointed to become most holy.

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Uzzah was not. For us, the understanding here has to do with the work of the

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Spirit in our lives. When we recognize that the oil that binds these things together represents the

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Holy Spirit, it represents the way it moves in the life of believers, we see that you and I, having been set apart, chosen by God and dwelt by the

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Holy Spirit, have been made in one sense holy. In another sense, however, apart from the continued work of the

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Spirit within our lives, apart from the Word of God being inundated into our life by the

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Holy Spirit, given to us, explained to us, confirmed to us, we are not made most holy.

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This work, this action continues to increase our holiness as we strive to be holy, just as God is holy.

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That is only accomplished through the work of the Spirit in our lives. What this doesn't mean, though, is that you can go out of here and touch somebody and make them holy.

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What you can do is present the Gospel. What you can do is give them the Word. What you can do is set before them the

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Gospel. But apart from the Spirit, apart from the anointing, they do not become holy.

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Apart from the regeneration that is performed by the Holy Spirit in their lives, so that their eyes are now opened, their hearts are made available, that they can have faith and believe, they will not become holy.

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Now, I want to be clear here. We don't run out of here saying that Pastor Brad said to anoint people with oil.

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Not what Pastor Brad said. What he said was, deliver the message, give them the

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Word, share the Gospel. The Holy Spirit does the rest. And as this happens in the life of one believer, it should also be happening in the lives of all believers, ultimately bringing us together, just as the oil brought all of these ingredients together into one substance, so the

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Spirit brings us all together, uniting us in Christ Jesus.

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Now, as we have previously discussed the altar that the incense is burned on, we're not going to spend a lot of time this morning on the incense itself, but I do want to touch on a couple of things.

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First of all, it is with interest that we should note that unlike the precision for the oil, commanding these exact measurements, the incense contains no specific measurements other than to say that it is to be mixed in equal parts.

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The ingredients themselves, with the exception of the frankincense, are really unknown.

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We have no certainty of what they are. There's a lot of speculation regarding what these are identifying.

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But as we've talked about before, in times where we see this ambiguity in Scripture, where this uncertainty exists for us, we can rest assured knowing that it was not uncertainty for Moses.

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It was not uncertainty for the people who received this word. They knew exactly what the command were, and they obeyed them exactly as they were given, which means that we should pay more attention to that which we do have.

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And so they were already given this warning by God not to offer any strange fire before Him.

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That, coupled along with the description, this truth that we see that this is to be done precisely, reminds us that it is to be done in the right manner.

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However, as we look at the description of the incense, there is something that we find in verse 35 that is a little bit unique.

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It opens with much the same language as we saw earlier in verse 25, regarding the work to be done to be that of a perfumer.

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But then it says that the mixture, the incense, is to be salted, pure, and holy.

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Now it doesn't take a lot of thought to figure out why pure and holy are mentioned here.

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Holy in the part that the incense is set apart by God for God. Pure in the sense that it is to contain only the ingredients listed here.

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But then we run into this word salted. We have to ask ourselves exactly what does it mean when it says that it is to be salted.

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Now, this conversation regarding the purpose of the salt being introduced, as you may imagine, has sparked much controversy.

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Some have suggested that it has nothing to do with anything except as a preservative.

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Some have suggested that it was there to aid the fire to burn more rapidly and to produce more smoke.

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Some have gone so far as to suggest that the mere presence had to do with medicinal purposes in that time and place.

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As we study this, though, there is one truth that seems to stand out to outweigh all the others and to help this fit properly in its context.

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In 2 Chronicles 13, verse 5, we read these words.

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Do you not know that Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?

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Now, these words are very interesting. They point us back, first of all, to Leviticus 2, verse 13, where God gave the command that salt was to be used in all of the offerings.

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It says, Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your

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God shall not be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall bring salt near.

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In Numbers, chapter 18, verse 19, we read these words. All the contributions of the holy gifts which the sons of Israel raise up to Yahweh I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you as a perpetual statute.

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It is an everlasting covenant of salt before Yahweh to you and your seed with you.

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Now, these passages of Scripture bring interesting questions to us. The first statement is, what exactly is a covenant of salt?

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I believe that this is the foundational question and the one that we are going to focus on.

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And part of the reason that I believe it is foundational is because I think we find the answer in what salt represented in the ancient world.

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You see, salt was, yes, a preservative. It was used to preserve all kinds of different things.

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But ultimately, salt became almost synonymous with the idea or the terminology of permanence or everlasting.

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And so as we think about that, and we think about the way in which the term is used repeatedly in these passages that we have mentioned regarding a covenant, it suggests to us that there is a covenant far greater than the covenant of works under which

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Moses and the people are currently operating. In fact, as we study the scope of Scripture, what we see is that this is a covenant that existed prior to the creation of the world.

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You see, in the timeline of Scripture, what we see is a covenant of works introduced, which ultimately gives way to a covenant of grace, where we fall now.

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The London Baptist Confession of Faith actually summarizes this and is helpful in our understanding. We read these words in Chapter 7,

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Paragraph 3. The covenant, this covenant, is revealed in the

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Gospel. This covenant, by the way, is the covenant of grace. Excuse me.

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Yes, this covenant is the covenant of grace. That covenant was first revealed, first of all, to Adam in the promise of salvation through the seed of the woman.

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After that, it was revealed step by step. So even in the covenant of works, we see this movement towards the covenant of grace until the full revelation of it was completed in the

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New Testament. Then it contains this sentence. This covenant is based on the eternal covenant transaction between the

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Father and the Son concerning the redemption of the elect. Only through the grace of this covenant have those saved from among the descendants of fallen

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Adam obtained life and blessed immortality. Humanity is now utterly incapable of being accepted by God on the same terms on which

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Adam was accepted in his state of innocence. So I would suggest to you this morning that this word we find here, this mention of salt within the incense is again but one more carryover of this picture of the covenant of grace continually being revealed.

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And it is only by the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus alone that we are brought into this covenant of grace.

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This reminder, this promise that this is a covenant from all eternity past. In fact, from outside of eternity.

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Founded in the Godhead before creation. A covenant that said these are my people.

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A covenant that promises that those who have faith are brought into this covenant with God.

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And through the grace of God, by faith in Christ, we are brought into this everlasting truth.

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So as we reflect on this holy anointing oil and the incense which was salted, we are reminded that God himself determines what is holy.

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We are reminded that God himself determines how he is to be worshipped.

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We are reminded that it is God himself who chose before the foundation of the world his people.

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These things were not merely suggestions for Israel and for Moses. But they were precise commands meant to set apart that which belonged exclusively to God.

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The oil again binding the spices together into one fragrant whole just as the

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Holy Spirit unites believers in Christ. Applying the merits of his atoning work and setting us apart as God's possession.

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The incense, salted as a sign of permanence, pictured the continual prayers of God's people rising before his throne.

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Prayers that are only sanctified and made acceptable by the work of Christ and the power of the

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Spirit. Both the oil and the incense carry the same warning.

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Use for anything else. Use for any other reason and you would be cut off from the people.

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That alone shows the seriousness in which God views his worship and the seriousness of entering into the holiness of his presence.

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All of these things confront us with an unavoidable truth.

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The unavoidable truth of our worship, our service, every area of our very lives are to be wholly consecrated to him without mixture of the world's ideas or our own preferences.

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That's a key thing because you see we can fool ourselves by thinking that we are doing right because we are doing things in ways that are according to his word but yet we bring them in ways that contain mixture of our own preferences.

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Mixtures of what the world would have instead of simply being in obedience to him.

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You see the call to be wholeheartedly devoted to God has not changed.

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It hasn't ended. It didn't stop. God still calls his people to the same wholehearted devotion today as he did

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Israel at the foot of Sinai. The question is, again, not will we worship but we will all worship something.

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But whether our worship will be shaped and purified by his word according to his spirit and offered to him alone.

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And so I ask you, if your life and all the aspects of your life right now were the fragrance rising before God would it bear marks of his holiness, his spirit, his glory?

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Or would it carry the scent of the world and personal preferences of something other than him entirely?

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Let us pray. Gracious Lord, you are holy and you have called us to be holy even as you are holy.

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Lord, we are thankful for the perfect work of Christ. We are thankful that today he stands as our great high priest and we are thankful for the gift of the spirit who applies

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Christ's work to our lives. Father, we pray that you would guard us from treating lightly that which you have declared sacred.

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We pray that you cleanse us from the grime of sin, that you bind us together in unity by your spirit and cause the fragrance of Christ to be evident in all that we do.

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Lord, let our worship be pure, our prayers acceptable, our obedience joyful.

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Father, keep us from offering you what is common or self -made and instead conform our hearts and our minds to your word.

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Lord, may every part of our lives be set apart for you. That our words, that our actions, that our affections may rise before you as a pleasing aroma.

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Lord, we ask all of these things in the blessed name of Christ.