Furniture for God (Exodus 25)

Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.

Exodus 25:8

Chapter 25 begins a new and significant section in the book of Exodus. God gives instructions for the construction of a place of worship, called the Tabernacle. Now “tabernacle” is not a word we commonly use in English, so don’t worry if you have never heard of that word before. It is just a fancy word for tent. God says to Moses, “Build me a tent.”

Of course, we need to remember that at the time, all the other Israelites were also living in tents. They were on a long journey through the desert, setting up camp one day, and moving on elsewhere the next. The modern equivalent would be the caravan. It isn’t fancy. It wasn’t permanent. Because if you look closely at verse 8, God does not say, Build me this sanctuary so that I can live in it. He says build it for me “and I will dwell among them.” God did not want a dwelling to live in. He wanted to live with his people. In a tent.

Yet as soon as God says that, he doesn’t give the instructions for the tent. That happens in the next chapter. Instead, here in Chapter 25, God outlines the instruction for assembling the furniture.

The ark

“Have them make an ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold moulding around it. Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed. Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law, which I will give you.

Exodus 25:10-16

The ark was a box. It was 1.1 meters long and 68 centimeters wide and high (according my NIV bible footnotes), so about the size of your average coffee table. (In the past I would have made a passing reference to Indiana Jones and movie “Raiders the Lost Ark”; except teenagers today have only ever seen the latest one which featured aliens and that kid from Transformers. Yikes!)

Anyways, it was a big box all covered in gold, with rings round the side that you could slot in poles in order to carry it. The ark stored the tablets of the law - referring to the Ten Commandments. There were two of them, not because there were five on one and five on the other. The tablets represented two copies of one agreement made between God and his people. Israel would obey God’s law. God would bless and protect his people.

Now, the important bit about the ark, was not the ark itself, but the cover that was on top of the ark, called the atonement cover.

“Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you.

Exodus 25:17-21

Cherubim are angels. Think of them like commando angels. Their first appearance is in the beginning of the bible. In Genesis 3:24, they are the guardians at the entrance of Eden holding a lightsaber; “a flaming sword flashing back and forth,” it reads. Their job is to protect and to stand guard.

Moses is instructed to make two of these angelic cherubim out of pure gold, facing each other, with their wings “overshadowing the cover”. They are standing watch and their wings signify that they are protecting something very important; or rather, someone very important. As it turns out, the cherubim are guardians of God.

There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.

Exodus 25:22

The atonement cover symbolised God’s throne room surrounded by angels. The tent was a picture of the whole created order, and the inner section of the tent where the ark was kept, called the Most Holy Place, was a picture of heaven itself.

The reason why the ark is so important in the construction of this place of worship, was because it reminded the Israelites that God had opened the way to heaven. Man could now come into the presence of a holy God.

The question is how?

The answer lies in the word “atonement”. Once a year, the high priest would sprinkle the atonement cover with blood of a sacrificial animal. He did this to atone for the sins of the whole nation of Israel. Atonement is the act by which God’s anger over our sin is paid for through the death and sacrifice of another. In this case, it was the death of an animal. Its sacrifice was a substitute for the punishment of the people of Israel.

Now the fascinating thing is, the word that appears here in Exodus 25 as “atonement cover” (some translations have “mercy seat”), also occurs in the New Testament to describe Jesus. The greek word hilasmos/hilasterion, appears in passages like 1 John 2:2 where Jesus Christ is called the “atoning sacrifice”. On the cross, Jesus became the substitute for us, taking our punishment for sin on our behalf.

In fact, the book of Hebrews goes of to draw a direct connection between these events in  Old Testament and Jesus in the New; between the blood sprinkled on the ark; and Jesus entering heaven itself to appear before God, through his sacrifice on the cross.

It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.

Hebrews 9:23-24

God says the atonement cover was where he would meet with them. It was God’s throne. At the same time, it was God’s sacrifice. In the same way, the cross symbolises both the sacrifice and the supremacy of Jesus. His death opens the way for us to enter confidently into God’s presence.

The table

“Make a table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold moulding around it. Also make around it a rim a handbreadth wide and put a gold moulding on the rim. Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners, where the four legs are. The rings are to be close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. Make the poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold and carry the table with them. And make its plates and dishes of pure gold, as well as its pitchers and bowls for the pouring out of offerings. Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times.

Exodus 25:24-30

The instructions for the table come with detailed descriptions for the manufacture of plates and crockery for this table. In short, this is a dining area. It is extravagant - everything is made of gold. It is portable - there are the familiar fixtures of rings and poles to help with transporting the table. Yet the meal consists of one main dish. Bread.

Specifically, it is called the “bread of the presence”; as the table is placed just outside the Most Holy Place, in the presence of God. Leviticus 24 gives us a few more details. There are twelve loaves of bread, arranged in two rows of six, placed on the table as part of the offerings of the Israelites; twelve loaves for twelve tribes. The bread should also reminds us of manna. God fed the Israelites with bread from heaven, providing for their every day needs and feeding their hunger.

Most likely however, the table was not simply a place for offering but a means of fellowship. In verse 30, God says there must always be bread on this table. It must never be empty. God is extending an open invitation to Israel to dine with him in fellowship. Additionally, this meal points forward to heaven itself, as heaven  is repeatedly pictured in the bible as a banquet with abundant food laid out for its guests. We find this referred to in many of Jesus’ parables (Matthew 8:22 and 22:2 for example).

Also when Jesus had his last meal with his disciples, he points to the bread - not the lamb, but the bread - as a sign of his body (which is why it is possible for vegetarians to take communion. Just a joke!). So even today, as part of the Lord’s supper - the bread that we share symbolises both the body of Jesus sacrificed on the cross (1 Corinthians 11:24); but also the church as the one body of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:17).

The lampstand

“Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

“Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories.

Exodus 25:31-39

The final piece of furniture is the lampstand and most of the description is given to its features and form. It has branches and cups shaped like flowers, with buds and blossoms. It is pretty obvious what it is supposed to look like: a tree.

Bible experts say this represents the tree of life in the garden of Eden. I really like that one, considering the elements of creation we have seen so far in Exodus. In Revelation Chapter 1, the lampstand is symbolic of the church, and that is another strong possibility.

To be honest, I am not sure about this one. I think in part it reflects both - pointing backwards to the creation account in Genesis, and forward to the new creation in Revelation. The tree of life is a reminder that the promise of eternal life still stands under the gracious plan of God’s salvation.

Follow the instructions

Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

Exodus 25:9

See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

Exodus 25:40

Why was God so particular about the instructions for the furniture? He tells Moses, twice, make them exactly like this. Exactly like what? Like this pattern.

God is saying that the ark, the table and the lampstand are copies. They have to be made exactly according to these instructions because they point to something else. Something more significant. Something more permanent. They point to Jesus.

They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

Hebrews 8:5-6

These are just copies of the real thing. They are exact copies, but in the way a laser printout of a five pound note is a copy of the original. It might look similar, but only the real deal has any real value.

The reality is Jesus. The tabernacle was a copy that prepared the way for the Israelites to recognise Jesus as the true presence of God. In fact, John writes of Jesus, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling - (literally, he tabernacled) -  among us.” In Jesus, God became flesh and lived with man.

Spare change

It is very tempting when raising money to focus on the rich.

The story is told of a wealthy family who donated their old furniture to the church office. Their motives were sincere and the furniture was in good condition. The pastor thanked them for their kindness, but gently refused the offer. Why? Not because there was anything wrong with the chairs and tables. But because their giving was not what the bible means by Christian giving.

When we ask the rich for money it is tempting to do so, not simply because of their wealth, but because it is easier to ask for spare change from a rich man. “It won’t cost you much,” we say. “It won’t affect your lifestyle or your income. It won’t even make a difference to the way you live.”

The gospel of Luke tells of a time when Jesus was at the temple and the rich were pouring in their money into the treasury. Jesus then saw a widow put in two coins. Luke adds the words “very small” coins. In other words, it was hardly substantial. It was a nothing. Yet Jesus told his disciples, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all the others.” How could that be?

All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.

Luke 21:4

Christian giving is sacrificial giving. We looked at this yesterday in our Sunday passage from 1 Corinthians 16. Just because you are a student with loans; just because you have financial struggles; just because there are so many other wealthier, more successful people in the church compared to you - does not mean that this message on giving does not apply to you or your circumstance.

Because maybe - just maybe - you understand better what God is telling you about sacrificial giving, compared to your richer brothers and sisters. Maybe your circumstance is making it possible for you look to Jesus and to see clearly what he did on the cross when he took all your sins and paid all your debts through his sacrifice. The bible says that though he was rich, Jesus Christ became poor for your sakes, so that through his poverty you might receive the full riches of His grace.

Christian giving is a response to God’s love shown us on the cross. Christian giving is an expression of trust in Jesus Christ and his sacrifice.

I'll never know how much it cost

To see my sin upon that cross

I'll never know how much it cost

To see my sin upon that cross

Here I am to worship,

Here I am to bow down,

Here I am to say that You're my God

You're altogether lovely

All together worthy,

All together wonderful to me.

(“Here I am to worship” by Chris Tomlin)

Christian giving (1 Corinthians 16:1-11)

Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do.

1 Corinthians 16:1

Money can a touchy subject. Especially when we are talking about your money. On Sundays, we collect an offering and pass small bags down the aisle for Christians to put money in. But imagine if instead we placed a big transparent plastic box right in front and said to everyone, Put your money in here, where everyone can see. We want our giving to be personal. We want it to be anonymous.

In today’s passage we consider the subject of Christian giving. What does it mean for Christians to give money. 1 Corinthians 16 gives two clear guidelines: (1) We give to help God’s people; and (2) We give to support God’s work.

For the Christian, these are the two main, if not, only reasons for giving to the church. For the Christian leader, these are the two main, if not, only reasons for spending money given to the church. God’s people and God’s work.

But before we get to the why, verse 2 talks about the how. How should a collection be taken in the church?

On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

1 Corinthians 16:2

The apostle Paul says we should set it aside and save it up.

This happens on Sundays, “the first day of the every week”. In part, he is talking about when we come together as the church. That is why we take up the offering. But notice that Paul talks about setting aside money not simply on Sunday, but on every Sunday of every week, adding the words, “in keeping with your income.” That is quite important, because the some translations have “as he may prosper”. It is telling us to look back at these past seven days and ask the question, “How has God provided for me this week?” Not this past month or year, but just this past week. Answering that question helps you answer the next question, “How much should I give?”

Some of us might not give because of student loans. Some of us have mortgages or bills to pay on that new car. The new iPod is coming out in September or there’s that holiday trip to Hong Kong over the summer.

Paul says look back just at this past week. And give according to how much God has blessed you this week. Set it aside.

Next, Paul says save it up. The big idea is to give regularly, and the reason for this is very interesting. “So that,” says Paul at the end of verse 2, “no collections will have to be made.” You make a collection every week so that there won’t be a need for a big collection at the end when I arrive.

Christian giving is regular giving. It’s not a big campaign held once a year, with emotional appeals to worthy causes and a touching video featuring the stars of Harry Potter. Paul says the collection is to be made each week and entrusted to the church.

Notice that Paul does not use the word “tithe”. Christians are not called to “tithe” their money. The word means to give a tenth of your income. Jesus uses the term three times in the gospels (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42, and Luke 18:12) to describe not Christian giving but Pharisees who give a tenth of their possessions, money, even their spices (for us Chinese, that include your oyster sauce, five-spice powder and curry paste) to God as their tithe. Jesus condemns them for being proud of their giving, calculative in their tithing, yet hard in their hearts towards God.

The word used here in 1 Corinthians 16 is not “tithe”, but “collection” (verses 1 and 2). Not that it is wrong to call it the “offering” as we do here in the Chinese Church, but collection emphasises the responsibility of the church. As a Christian you present your offering of money, but you entrust that money to the church who collects this money.

I realise that some have a big problem with that. Why should I give through the church? In fact, some of you may even be thinking: How can I trust the church to handle my money?

That is precisely Paul’s concern in verse 3.

Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

1 Corinthians 16:3-4

Paul is concerned with integrity. In sending this money, but also, integrity in receiving this money.

He is saying that it isn’t enough to write a cheque. You need to send people with this money. Send men whom you trust - your best guys.- and I will write a letter introducing these guys to the church in Jerusalem. In other words, Paul wants to establish a relationship between the Christians in Corinth and in Jerusalem. He wants them to shake hands, spend time in Jerusalem, meet the Christians there. Then go back to Corinth and tell the church about how the money was used, but also how the Christians there are doing.

You see when we send money to missionaries or to poor churches in China, we should not post the cheque and then wait for them to write back saying how grateful they are and to give an account on how they spent the money. Paul says that is not Christian giving. We should write to them; we should visit them and present the money ourselves. Because he wants us to be interested in their welfare, not just their bank accounts.

But there is another reason Paul writes these letters of recommendation; moreover offering to go with them himself. Because there needs to be integrity in receiving this money. He says in verse 3, this is your money sent with your people. This is your gift (verse 3).

Money raised for Christian aid must come from Christian believers. It is shameful to go to the streets, shake cans and ask non-Christians to give their money; then to use that money to plant churches, print bibles and run programmes. It shames us as Christians and it brings shame to God’s name.

Paul wants integrity in their giving. Such that if need be, he will go with them himself to Jerusalem to present this gift (or charis, which can also be translated grace).

After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you—for I will be going through Macedonia. Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.

1 Corinthians 16:5-7

Paul is outlining his travel plans. He just said he might accompany them to Jerusalem with their gift (at the end of verse 4). So pulls out his diary, jots down his itinerary and plans his destinations leading up to this visit to Corinth. Notice how Paul says “Perhaps I will stay with you awhile” (verse 6), “I hope to spend some time with you” (verse 7), and “if the Lord permits.”

The apostle Paul makes plans. But plans may change. Plans may or may not work out, depending on circumstance, depending on God’s will.

It is good and godly to make plans for your summer. Work part-time at Yim Wah restaurant. Go on holiday with your family. Study at university next year. In fact, I would say, it is wise. You should plan to spend your time responsibly and gainfully. Do you want to be a lawyer in 5 years? Plan to study, to get your degree and work in a law firm to gain experience. Fail to plan and you plan to fail.

Paul plans to be in Corinth, so he plans how he will get there. Through Macedonia and then to Corinth in the winter.

But plans do change. And Paul is ready to change his plans to reflect his true priorities. That is verse 8.

But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

1 Corinthians 16:8-9

His priority is God’s work. The gospel - that’s number one. A great door has opened in Ephesus, and through this door comes great opportunity and great opposition.

We know from Acts 19 that Paul spent every day for two years teaching the bible in a school hall, such that everyone in that entire region of Asia heard the gospel. It was a great opportunity for God’s word to be heard; for Jesus to be proclaimed.

Yet we also know from the bible, that Ephesus was where Paul faced his fiercest opposition. And Acts 19 tell us, it involved money. There was a huge trade in Ephesus involving the manufacturing of idols, but thanks to Paul’s preaching that said “man-made gods are no gods at all”, they started to lose their income. This led to a riot and revolt in the city centre led by the craftsmen and silversmiths. Paul and his preaching was bad for business.

Paul knows with every opportunity from God comes opposition from men. He plans to stay in Ephesus. His priority is not comfort; it’s not safety, it is the gospel.

Now what does all this have to do with Christian giving? It is this: In putting God’s work first as his priority, Paul puts his own rights and needs second. Not once in sixteen chapters of this letter, does Paul ask for money for himself.

It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t deserve to be paid. In Chapter 9, Paul writes:

In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:14

Pastors should receive their living from preaching the gospel. It is right that we support our pastors with money and an income. This is a command from God himself.

Yet at the same time, we need to understand that we do not pay our pastors a salary. They are not employees of the church. Rather, we support them as workers of the gospel, freeing them to focus on the preaching of the gospel. This is our privilege as the church and their right as servants of God.

Yet for Paul, he sets aside his rights in order to offer the gospel free of charge.

What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.

1 Corinthians 9:18

This is a hard act to follow, but an important principle to grasp, especially for full-time workers of the gospel. Paul is willing to set aside his rights in receiving an income to make the gospel free of charge. It meant, at times, holding a secular job - Paul made tents. It meant putting the gospel first, before his other own plans and before his other priorities. So much so, that Paul would call this his boast and reward. Preaching the gospel is not a profession, it is a privilege given by God. There may be seasons in our lives that God may bring this home in a big way on your ministry and in our churches.

Yet for the Corinthian church, such a situation spoke only of their shame. They looked down on Paul; in part, because he refused to accept money. Corinth was very much like Cambridge today. It was a city that gave prominence to oratory, flair, philosophy and debate. The better the debator, the more elequent the orator; then the greater the respect he commanded, the greater the financial success he enjoyed. This was not Paul. He wasn’t paid. He wasn’t impressive. He wasn’t respected.

And neither were his friends.

When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. No one, then, should treat him with contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.

1 Corinthians 16:10-11

It is almost sad and a little bit scary to read how Paul expected Timothy to be treated at Corinth. See that he has “nothing to fear”. No one should “treat him with contempt”. What was he afraid the church would do to Timothy? And why would he have to write such words asking them to send Timothy on his way “in peace” so that he would return safely back to Paul? It almost sounds like Paul was sending Timothy off to war in Afganistan!

In Chapter 4, we know that Paul sent Timothy, “as a son whom he loves, who is faithful in the Lord”. Here in verse 10, Paul writes of Timothy, “he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am”. Paul is sending someone with the same heart for God and shares the same commitment to the gospel.

And because of this, Paul knows Timothy will receive the same opposition to the gospel in Corinth. So why send Timothy if Paul knows this?

Because Christian giving isn’t just about money. It is the giving in sacrifice for the sake of the gospel. What Paul has been urging the Corinthians to do with their money, he does with his own treasured son in the faith, Timothy. The Corinthians are still Paul’s brothers and sisters in Christ, and he wants to remind them of the gospel. Even though they have messed up again and again, Paul doesn’t give up on them, because God doesn’t give up on them. God continues to show grace to his church in his Son, Jesus.

The point of today’s passage is not about giving money, but rather, faithfulness. Faithfulness with our lives and faithfulness with our money. It is a faithfulness that come from recognising the faithfulness of God in continuing to show us grace even when we do not deserve it, by sending his Son to die for us on the cross.

In a second letter to this church, Paul would later write to the Corinthians:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

2 Corinthians 8:9

Christian giving is for God’s people, entrusted through God’s church, for the growth of God’s work in the gospel. That’s quite a mouthful. Summarising it another way, Christian giving is simply a response to Jesus on the cross. Through he was rich, for our sakes he became poor. He humbled himself and gave his life for us. We respond to his gift of grace in repentance, in trust and in the worship of our whole lives, lived for Jesus.

Priestly ipods and holy underpants (Exodus 28)

Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honour.

Exodus 28:1-2

What do your clothes say about you?

This week, as thousands of students process down King’s Parade and gather in front of Senate House, they will be smartly dressed in formal attire and robed in black gowns trimmed with white fur. Their attire says that they have come to the end of their academic journey, having earned a degree from the prestigious Cambridge University.

From the t-shirt clad, backward baseball cap wearing, Nike-sneaker sporting teenager; to the Moss Brothers pin-striped suited up executive; what we wear speaks volumes about our background, our tastes, our income, our profession and even our favourite football team.

So here in Chapter 28, God gives specific instructions to make a suit. Yet not just any suit. It is one of a kind, to be worn by one man, whose most important task is to enter God’s presence once every year. This is the suit of the High Priest.

Dressing the part

Tell all the skilled men to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.
Exodus 28:3-5

These were the best materials in the hands of their most skilled craftsmen. Don’t get me wrong. There is theological significance here. But throughout these chapters, which essentially form an instruction manual for worship given by God - for the construction of the Tabernacle, the altar, the courtyard and here, the priestly clothing - God says to Moses, “You have to get your best and most talented guys working on this project.” This isn’t Ikea. The instructions may be brief, but they are exact. Every minute detail has to been observed. But more than that, it has to be handled with care and with skill. “Tell all the skilled men to whom I have given wisdom in such matters.” God is saying that the skills you have are given you by God; they are given you to worship God.

God is essentially describing worship as something that has to be engaging; something that is beautiful.

The priestly iPod... I mean, ePhod

Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of a skilled craftsman. It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be fastened. Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen.
Exodus 28:6-8

The ephod was - for want of a better description - a very ornate-looking apron. What is interesting about the ephod was the materials used; notice how it repeatedly says to use “blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of fine twisted linen”. Aside from being very expensive materials (blue and purple were the most costly of dyes in the ancient world), these were the exact materials used in the construction of the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:1, 31). The Most Holy Place was the most restricted place in all of Israel. It symbolised the very throne room of God in heaven. No one - absolutely no one - entered the Most Holy Place, except the High Priest, and even so, only once a year to offer sacrifices on behalf of the nation. Yet when the Israelites saw the High Priest dressed in the ephod, they got a glimpse of what it meant to enter into God’s presence.

In this way, the High Priest represented God to the people. His clothing symbolised a glimpse into the presence of God. And yet the High Priest’s job was also to represent Israel to God. We see this next in the two stones - kinda like headphones that go with your iPod; the ePhod had two onyx stones, one on each shoulder.

“Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel in the order of their birth—six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other. Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the LORD. Make gold filigree settings and two braided chains of pure gold, like a rope, and attach the chains to the settings.

Exodus 28:9-13

Verse 12 calls them “memorial” stones. The names of the twelve sons of Israel were engraved on them. In way, they reminded Aaron, the high priest, he was an ambassador. When he walked into God’s presence, he was representing the whole nation, as he performed his duties of sacrifice and offering.

Yet looking closely at verse 12, Aaron bears these stones as “a memorial before the LORD”. Meaning God looks at Aaron and what does he see? Israel. He sees this one man, and God sees all men. He sees the names of the sons of of the man he gave his promise to - Israel; the promise of descendants and land and blessing (Genesis 28:13-15).

Decked out in bling

“Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of a skilled craftsman. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. It is to be square—a span long and a span wide—and folded double. Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. In the first row there shall be a ruby, a topaz and a beryl; in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and an emerald; in the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst; in the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx and a jasper. Mount them in gold filigree settings. There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

Exodus 28:15-21

Verse 15 we find two words you would never associate with guys: “fashion” and “breastpiece”. I mean, this guy was decked out in bling! This time, not simply with gold, blue and purple cloths - but jewels like ruby, topaz and beryl.

Yet there was substance to this style. Like the two black onyx stones on his shoulders - these twelve stones represented the twelve tribes of Israel. These were precious valuable stones signifying how valuable Israel was in God’s eyes. In fact, we find the same stones listed at the very end of the bible in the book of Revelation. Describing the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of God, John the apostle writes of the twelve foundations of the city walls:

The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.

Revelation 21:19-20

Furthermore, these stones had function. The King James version called this the “breastplate of judgement”. Now that sounds a bit more manly!

“Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD. Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the LORD. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD.

Exodus 28:29-30

How the Urim and Thummim worked we’re not sure. We don’t even know what they looked like. But what we know for sure is they were means of discerning God’s will. We find King Saul using this in 1 Samuel 14, to enquire of God’s verdict on a judgement he has to make. The context there seems to imply something similar to casting lots. Others infer from the twelve stones of the breastpiece and root word of the Hebrew for Urim, meaning “light”, that there God’s will was indicated through the luminance and reflection of these stones (I wonder if it’s a bit like traffic lights that lit up!)

The point is verse 30. Aaron has the means of making a judgement on behalf of the people. It was a judgement before God and it was a judgement from God. Israel was to seek God’s guidance and submit to God’s sovereign will.

The bells are ringing

The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he comes out, so that he will not die.

Exodus 28:34-35

This is the bit Aaron would have paid special attention to. Yeah, yeah, it’s about some silly sounding bells. Ding-a-ling-aling, haha, very funny! But not so funny for Aaron the high priest. If these bells don’t ding-a-ling, he’s dead!

The reason is holiness. God is holy. The bells are heard when the high priest enters the Holy Place. The bells are heard when he exits the Holy Place. One is for God’s benefit - like a doorbell. The other is for the people of Israel. It means their offerings have been accepted. Their sins have been forgiven.

Because as the passage goes on to tell us, as the high priest enters God’s presence, this one man bears the sin and guilt of the entire nation of Israel.

“Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD. Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the LORD.

Exodus 28:36-38

Not only was God holy, Israel was to be holy. Holy simply means separate, or set apart. When I set aside the nice plates for guests (ie. the exact same plates as all the rest, except that these aren’t chipped on the side) - these plates are holy. They are separated from the rest of the plates.

Israel was holy to the Lord. Meaning: they were set apart to God. They were not to seek after other gods. They were not to serve idols. They were exclusive to God.

And yet what this passage makes very clear is that Israel was unholy. They were guilty of sin. They were sinners before a holy God, fully deserving of God’s righteous judgement of death. Aaron’s job as high priest  - in wearing the gold plate on his turban, in offering the gifts and sacrifices in the Holy Place, in entering into God’s presence - was to bear their guilt.

Aaron was Israel. That’s the point of the stones and clothes and sacrifices. When he entered the Holy Place, Israel entered God’s presence. As Israel was unholy and sinful, so Aaron would bear their sin.

And as God accepted the sacrifices and offerings of Aaron, this one man, this high priest; so God would accept Israel, the nation and people he represented.

His was a dangerous job. Forsaking any of the instructions meant death. His was an important job. Once a year, according to Leviticus 16, he offered the sacrifice on behalf of the entire nation. Acceptance of this sacrifice - this true worship - meant forgiveness for the whole nation.

So the question is: Why don’t we do this today? Should pastors dress in ephods, turbans and put on a golden breastplate?

Before we answer that, let’s look at the last piece of holy clothing instructed by God. The underwear.

Holy underpants

Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die.

Exodus 28:42-43

What does this tell us (aside from perhaps the origin of white underwear - why not brown or yellow?). It tells us that the priests themselves were guilty.

You see, Aaron and his sons were not chosen because they were less holy than anyone else. They were just as guilty and just as sinful. Yet as high priest, Aaron would bear the guilt of everyone else. His sacrifices in the Most Holy Place made them acceptable.

But verses 42 and 43 remind that he himself needs to be acceptable. Down to the undergarments, Aaron and his sons were clothed to cover their guilt. They were accepted not because of who they were of what they did. No, they were accepted by God because God had provided a way to cover their guilt with his righteousness.

So today as Christians, we do not wear turbans and ephods because we know that these are mere shadows pointing forward to a better covering. We cover ourselves with the righteousness and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

By ourselves, we are sinners deserving death. We turn our backs to God and reject him as God over our lives. But God covers over our sin with the righteousness of Jesus, just like a suit or jacket. Such that when he sees us, he sees Jesus. In Jesus we become “Holy to the LORD”.

Our true high priest

John’s gospel records the final moments leading up to the death of Jesus in a way that is peculiar to the other gospels. He tells us what Jesus wore.

Jesus was handed over to the soldiers to be tortured. But more than that, they wanted to humiliate Jesus. So they put a crown of thorns on his head, a robe on his shoulders, and bowed down to him calling Jesus the King of the Jews. But John adds one more detail. He tells us that the robe was purple. Now, to the guards and to the average reader - we read of the purple robe and think of a king. But to the Jewish reader who knows his history, and who has read Exodus 28, he knows that John is talking about the high priest.

Later, as Jesus hung on the cross, the scene turns to the soldiers again, dividing up the spoils of Jesus’ clothes. But the most precious clothing they resort to casting lots over is Jesus’ undergarment.

Now, John spend time detailing this event; telling us about the robe then the undergarment. Why? Because what we see here at the crucifixion is the disrobing of the true high priest. Jesus is stripped of these articles of clothing - clothing that was symbolic of the righteousness of the high priest - such that when he hung on the cross, he was naked and exposed. There he bore our nakedness. On the cross he took our shame.

Speaking about Jesus, the book of Hebrews says this:

Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Hebrews 7:26-28

Jesus is the true high priest. A truly sinless man who enters God’s presence bearing the guilt of the world. And through his nakedness and from his death, our sins are forgiven and our guilt is covered.

As Romans 13:14 says to us as Christians, we “clothe (ourselves) with the Lord Jesus Christ”.

What do your clothes say about you?

For Christians covered in the righteousness of Jesus, it says we are loved; we have been forgiven; it says we are holy to the Lord.

You placed a crown of grace on my head

You covered me in robes of righteousness

Forever I will always be Yours, Jesus

Father, thank You for Your Spirit’s work in me

For opening my eyes to the Christ of Calvary

Jesus, You gave Your life in exchange for mine

Now I will live for You who died, Jesus
(From “Who made me to know you” by Sovereign Grace)

Today is a good day to die (1 Corinthians 15:12-34)

This is important

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
1 Corinthians 15:12

Paul is frustrated. What he has to say is important, so important. But it just isn’t getting through. Not because his readers disagree with what he is saying. But precisely because they think they already know he has to say, and that they don’t need reminding.

¹ Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. ² By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2

It’s the gospel – the central message of Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. And Paul starts out by saying, “You guys know this. You heard it. You’ve received it. You put your trust in this gospel for your salvation.”

Good. Fine. Brilliant.

But. That’s how verse 12 begins. BUT! How then, can some of you now turn around and say there is no resurrection from the dead?

Wait a minute! I thought we were talking about the gospel. I mean, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead. I believe there was the empty tomb; that he appeared to Peter and the apostles.

But Paul isn’t talking about Jesus’ resurrection. He is talking about yours.

Connected

Paul has moved on from talking about Jesus’ death to yours; from his resurrection to your resurrection. What will happen to you when you die? And Paul is saying that your death and your resurrection is intricately linked to Jesus’. You can’t deny one without denying the other.

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
1 Corinthians 15:13

I think it’s worth clarifying what I mean by that word: resurrection.

I don’t mean you become a ghost or a spirit. You can walk through walls and talk to cats. That’s not what I mean.

By resurrection, I also do not mean reincarnation. Going through cycles life and death, then life and death, over and over again. In my last life I was a grasshopper. In my next life, I hope I’ll be a butterfly. That’s not resurrection.

Also, resurrection isn’t about going to a place in the clouds called heaven, where you’re dressed in a white gown and you meet Saint Peter is standing in front of a huge golden gate holding a clipboard.

Resurrection means you die – your whole body dies – and God raises your whole body to life again from the dead. You find that phrase again and again in today’s passage – Christ has been raised “from the dead”; how can you say there is no resurrection “of the dead” (verse 12; also verses 13, 14, 15, 16, 20 and 21). The point being: as you face your death, where is your hope?

When was the last time you were at a funeral? Funerals can be depressing. Unless you’re Michael Jackson. In which case, thousands of people turn up in a huge stadium to catch a glimpse of your body wheeled in a gold casket. Mariah Carey sings “I’ll be there”. Millions tune in to watch the service on TV.

But even in a funeral like Michael Jackson’s, the most you can is, “This is it”. This is it. You can celebrate a person’s life and accomplishments and remember his contributions. But it all ends at the grave. This is it.

That is not the Christian hope.

The bible says as sure as Jesus was raised from the dead; as sure as he rose to everlasting life never to die again, so shall we.

Otherwise, you are wasting your time with Christianity. Otherwise, there is no point at all being a Christian.

Useless and pointless

¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ¹⁵ More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
1 Corinthians 15:14-16

In a way Richard Dawkins is right. Atheists like Richard Dawkins write books warning people about Christianity. He doesn’t just say there is no God. He says stay away from a religion that says there is a God because it is a lie and it is harmful to believe in this lie.

Paul says if the resurrection is a lie, then we are liars. “We are false witnesses,” he says, implying that that he has committed a great evil in testifying to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, if in fact, God “did not raise him”.

But it gets worse than that.

¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
1 Corinthians 15:17-18

You are still in your sins. You are not going to heaven, my friend, if Christ was not raised. Your sins were not forgiven. God is still going to punish you on the last day. And all those who trusted in Christ and died, well, they are lost – which is a polite way of saying they are damned.

How serious the implication is of that saying Christ did not rise from the dead.

But then Paul is not just talking about Jesus’ resurrection. He is talking about yours. Do you believe God will raise you on the last day? If you call yourself a Christian: Paul is talking to you!

He isn’t preaching to Richard Dawkins – Dawkins doesn’t believe Jesus died for our sins. Paul is dealing with Christians who say they are Christians; Christians who come to church every week; Christians who have heard him preach about Jesus week in and week out and say to Paul, “We know this already!” Paul is saying to these Christians, what does the resurrection mean for you? Because verse 19 is striking reminder of the vital importance of the truth and reality of the resurrection.

I pity the fool

If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
1 Corinthians 15:19

One of my favourite characters from TV as a kid in back on the BBC: Mr T! And he is hosting a new show called “World’s Craziest Fools”. In it he makes fun of people who pull the most idiotic, foolish, moronic stunts – like drive a car into a swimming pool, or call 911 to ask for a date with a police officer – to make fun of them! The classic Mr T catchphrase I remember as a kid was him saying, “I pity the fool!”

Paul says you don’t have to tune into the BBC to see the world’s craziest fools. He says you might see them right here in church. They are those who trust in Christ but only for this life. He is saying, “I pity the fool!”

Now I know this sounds unkind. But the reality is: this is quite tragic.

If your sum hope in Christ is this life – meaning, this job, this house, this health, this happiness, this degree, this relationship, this body – not bad things to thank God for; not bad things to ask God for. But if that’s the sum of your hope in Christ, then friends, it’s a hope with a short expiry date. You are going to get disappointed; the only issue being whether it’s sooner or later. Because when that job interview goes south, when the exam results don’t turn out quite as expected, when you look in the bathroom mirror one day and see your dad staring back at you – for some people that’s their moment of despair! They lose it. They buy a Ferrari to compensate. They run off with the secretary.

Or when they sit across the doctor who tells them the bad news. Then suddenly all those gadgets seem so inconsequential. What is your hope in? And what are you hoping for?

Christ suffered in his body the punishment for our sins. He took our death so that we might have life. Life to the fullest. Life everlasting which includes this life, which also includes so much more!

²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
1 Corinthians 15:20-21

BUT! I love that word (Everything changes)! But Christ has been raised, indeed! “But” makes all the difference.

So, Paul has so far been drawing the connection between our death and Jesus’ resurrection. But he’s next going to explain this further by drawing a connection between our death in Adam and our life in Jesus. And his point is that there are two strands of humanity: one which leads to the death and one who will be raised from death. More importantly, Paul is going to explain the reasons why we die and why there is hope beyond the grave.

²¹ For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
1 Corinthians 15:21-23

Death according to the bible is through Adam and in Adam. It is through Adam in that death is passed down to us, like genes or DNA. If your dad had black hair, and your grand-dad had black hair and his dad had black hair, I’m guessing you have black hair. It is passed down from father to son. And we can trace the source of this death DNA, all the way back to the first man, Adam. The bible is referring to Adam’s sin in rejecting God. God punished Adam for his rejection with death, and since then, this punishment has affected all of Adam’s descendants.

In the same way, Jesus becomes the source of resurrection life. Christians receive the promise of eternal life because of what Jesus did on the cross. So there are two humanities beginning with two men, Adam and Jesus. One is the source of death and one is the source of life. Death came through Adam. The resurrection comes through Jesus.

But what does it mean to be in Adam and in Christ – as it says in verse 22. I can understand “through” – it is talking about the source; the beginning. But what do Christians mean when they say they are “in Christ”?

Verse 24 onwards tells us.

²⁴ Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. ²⁸ When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
1 Corinthians 15:24-28

It is talking about submission. Notice the phrase “under his feet”, or “under him” occurring five times in verses 25, 27 and 28. Everything will be put in submission, or as verse 27 has it, “he has put everything under his feet”.

Notice also the quotation marks there in verse 27. The translators have put those quotation marks in because Paul is quoting an Old Testament psalm; specifically Psalm 8 verse 5. Now let me ask you a very silly question about this psalm: Who is it talking about? Whose feet will God put everything under?

At this, even the youngest kid in Sunday School will put his hand up and say, “Jesus!”

Ah! But he isn’t talking about Jesus (sorry kids!). When you go back to Psalm 8, you see that it is talking about man; it is talking about the creation of humanity; in fact, it is talking about the creation of the first man, Adam. God created the world and then he created Adam and put everything under his feet, to rule and to care for.

Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.
Genesis 1:28

Adam was given all authority over the earth, under God. At least, that was the plan. Only Adam rejected God. He didn’t mind ruling the earth, he just didn’t want someone ruling over him. This is what the bible means by sin. Sin is rejecting God. Sin isn’t about breaking rules or being bad or chewing gum in church. Sin is saying to God, “Stay out of my life. I will life my own life my own way.”

When we say that to God, we are in Adam. We reject God the same way Adam did, and therefore, we are punished by God with the same punishment Adam received, death. That is what it means to be in Adam. It means rejecting God.

To be in Christ, however, is to be in submission to God.

Those of you who said verse 27 was talking about Jesus earlier on – you are absolutely right! (So good job, Sunday School kids! And sorry again!) God has put everything under Jesus’ feet. Only look at verse 24 and tell me what “everything” means? Is it the birds and fish and animals and plants? Nope. Instead, “everything” according to verse 24 includes “all dominion, authority and power”. Verse 25 calls them his enemies.

That is, God will put everything that is rebelling against him, under Jesus’ feet. Every rival authority, every power that rejects his authority will ultimately be destroyed and placed under Jesus’ authority. And what is the last enemy to be conquered? It’s death (verse 26).

Yet at the same time, we see Jesus submitting his authority under God. He “hands over the kingdom to God” (verse 24). The Son himself “will be made subject to” God, so that “God may be all in all” (verse 28).

This is what we see at the cross: Jesus submitting himself to the will of his Father. He was obedient to God even unto death. And at the resurrection, God raised Jesus from death, as a sign of his victory over death. Jesus conquered death and now sits at the right hand of his Father. God gives all authority in heaven and on earth to Jesus, and Jesus rules over all creation and the new creation, under the supreme authority of his Father.

What does it mean then to be in Christ? It means submission. It means acknowledging God as God in my life, and living for him in submission to his will. It short, it means confessing Jesus as my Lord.

The really cool thing about this is: Paul has just summarised the entire message of the bible in one paragraph! From creation in Genesis to final redemption in Revelation, Paul has just explained creation, grace, sin, fall, death, life, resurrection and exaltation. How cool is that!

Tomorrow we die

Well, that’s all very well, Paul. Nice bit of theology there, very deep. But what does it mean for me? He tells us:

³⁰ And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? ³¹ I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. ³² If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
1 Corinthians 15:29-32

A year ago not many had ever heard of a place called Fukushima in Japan. Today it is the site of a massive operation to cool down and clean up a nuclear reactor facing a series of meltdowns. Recently the BBC reported 200 pensioners, all over the age of sixty stepping forward as volunteers offering themselves to help with this dangerous task. They are led by Yasuteru Yamada, a 72-year old retired engineer with decades of experience under his belt. “I probably have 13 to 15 years to live,” said Mr Yamada. Together with his group senior citizens, Mr Yamada believes “they should be facing the dangers of radiation, not the young”.

Some people risk their lives because they have nothing to live for. But some, like Mr Yamada and his band of 200 retirees, are willing to risk their lives, because they see something worth dying for.

Here in the English Congregation, we are all healthy, young, smart, energetic with our whole lives ahead of us, full of promise, prospect and possibilities. We have everything to live for. But I wonder if at 72, would we have found even one thing to die for?

For most of us, verse 32 describes our daily routine. Let us eat; let us drink for tomorrow we die. The biggest decision I was faced with when I got up this morning was: What’s for dinner? Or, What’s on TV?

Now there are two ways of understanding verse 32. One way of seeing it is to say, “I’m going to die anyways, so I should make the most of today! Enjoy life like there is no tomorrow! Party on!”

And for the longest time, that is what I thought it meant. That Paul was condemning a kind of selfish, self-centred way of living. My money’s mine – why not spend it all on me? My life’s mine – why not live like I’m number one?

But as I looked back at the previous verses, I think I might be right in saying that Paul’s emphasis in verse 32 is not “eating” or “drinking”; or even dying. No, I think his emphasis is on the word “tomorrow”. Tomorrow we die. I will do my dying tomorrow.

This mantra is essentially saying: Put it off! I will party today and put off the consequences till tomorrow – I will face them tomorrow.

The quotation comes from Isaiah Chapter 22 where God is calling his people of Jerusalem to repentance. “In that day the Lord God of hosts called for weeping and mourning.” But they ignored God, instead choosing to “eat and drink” today. In the face of judgement and the call to turn back to God, some will choose to ignore God’s clear instruction for repentance. “You say Jesus is going to return as judge? You say my sins will be condemned? Then I will deal with that reality eventually when it happens. Tomorrow.”

Today is a good day to die
(or as they say in Klingon: “Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam”)

Paul says “I die every day” (verse 31). Verse 30 says, “We endanger ourselves every hour”. And the question is why? For the church; for the Christians in Corinth. “I glory over you in Christ Jesus”, he says. Paul risks life and limb, time and time again, for the sake of the church, that they might stand firm in the gospel.

You see, it is fine and good to say you are living for Christ. But practically speaking, living for Christ results in a life lived for other Christian brothers and sisters. It is a life of sacrificial service.

Ralph Winters a missionary (yeah!) and a Presbyterian (oh yeah!) once said, “You do not evaluate a risk by the probability of success but by the worthiness of the goal.” That’s just so un-Chinese! We Chinese only take “calculated” risks. We like “sure-wins”.

Old Ralphy is saying that risks are not measured by how sure we are of getting our investments back; of how safe that portfolio is; but by how worthwhile the investment itself. Often times, the more worthwhile the goal, the more the risk!

That’s the Christian life – a life full of risks. More so, it is the life full of the hope in the resurrection. Jesus says in John’s gospel:

I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
John 11:25-26

Even though I die, I will live, because Jesus is the resurrection and the life. I trust in him, I live in him, and will never die. That is what Paul is saying here in our passage today.

Bad company

³³ Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” ³⁴ Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.
1 Corinthians 15:33-34

What a strange way to end his argument! Watch out for bad ... company?

But Paul has a reason for concluding this passage with a warning about bad friends, because these are the same friends he has been warning us about since the beginning of the passage. Notice the “some” in verse 34? “Some ... are ignorant of God”? Now look back to verse 12: How can “some” of you say there is no resurrection from the dead?

In other words, “some” of these Corinthians were influencing the rest of the Corinthians Christians in the Corinthian City Christian Church (or CCCC). These “some” were claiming it was nonsense to believe in the resurrection.

But the way these “some” were denying the resurrection was not by going up front every week on Sundays, standing in front of everyone and boldly proclaiming, “There is no resurrection!” They weren’t preaching a gospel that said Jesus didn’t rise from the dead. No, their tactics were much more subtle than that, and we get a clue of this from verse 34 where Paul says, “some... are ignorant about God.”

The word is literally “agnostic” about God.

How did they deny the resurrection? By saying, “Who knows?” Who knows whether we will be raised from the dead; I sure don’t. Who knows for sure that trusting in Jesus will mean that God will grant you forgiveness of sins and everlasting life – that’s just so complicated. Who knows what heaven will be like – why not just concentrate on this life. Paul calls them “agnostic”. They claimed they didn’t know; they claimed nobody really knows – And Paul says, that is shameful!

Because God has made it known through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God has revealed it in the gospel.

And the lesson here, friends, is that it only takes a few – “some” – to sway the entire church of its conviction and certainty in Jesus. “Come back to your senses,” Paul says. In other words, Wake up! Keep you focus on Jesus and your feet firmly grounded on the gospel!

So as important as it is for you to pay attention right now during this sermon; What will you be talking about with your friends on the way back to church? It is good to discuss and debate the hard things the preacher has just said – and we have had some difficult words today on death; on risking our lives for the gospel. But if the preacher has been faithful to the text, and if this is really in the bible, and if this is really God’s word saying what it says, then be careful of making remarks like, “That’s just his opinion.” Or “Who knows whether it’s true or not?” It might sound humble, but it may just be covering up sin. It might sound open-minded, but it may simply be covering up ignorance and foolishness.

When it comes to something as fundamental and as important as the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ: Why not make sure that you know? Evaluate the evidence. Read the text. Think through the claims. And make a decision. Is it true? Did Jesus die for my sins and rise for my justification? And will Jesus return one day to put an end to all rebellion and raise those who have put their trust in him to everlasting life?

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2

I no longer fear the grave
Christ has come
Took the sting of death away
Through His saving blood
Though my body fails and my flesh grows weak
Till my final breath, to this hope I’ll cling

Jesus lives and so shall I
I’ll be raised from the dust with Christ on high
Jesus lives no more to die
And when He returns, with Him I’ll rise
Jesus lives
(“Jesus Lives” by Sovereign Grace Music)

Dinner with God (Exodus 24)

Last night at Rock we came to the concluding section on the giving of the Law at the mountain of God. The Israelites had been saved from Egypt and were now gathered at Mount Sinai where God spoke them from the cloud of smoke and fire. From this event we get the Ten Commandments; God’s own word to Israel on how to worship him and live as his chosen people. We also get the Book of the Covenant (24:7) – a series of case-laws applying the Ten Commandments in the context of everyday life. Here we find instructions on social justice, care for the poor and fairness in the law courts.

So Moses reads these laws out to the whole assembly and everyone responds with verse 7, “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.”

But that’s not enough. What we have in Chapter 24 is a signing of the agreement. Like any contract as when you buying a house or signing up for a new mobile phone plan, after the terms have been made clear, the contract has to be sealed and signed. To be clear, the people of Israel didn’t initiate this agreement with God. The unique thing about this contract, or “covenant” as it is referred to in Exodus, is that God sets the terms, spells out the benefits and offers them to Israel. With the other gods, the people chased after these idols offering their allegiances and seeking after their benefits. With the God of the bible, he pursues us and offers us the blessings of salvation.

But as I said before, it isn’t enough for us to simply say, “Yup, it all looks good. I’ll go for it.” The contract needs to be signed and sealed. We see this happen in Exodus 24 in three stages: (1) Through sacrifice; (2) Through sprinkling; and curiously enough; (3) Through supper.

1. Sacrifice

⁴ Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁵ Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the LORD. ⁶ Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar.
Exodus 24:4-6

The altar (which I often like to think of as a really large barbeque pit), the offerings and the bowls of blood were all symbols and reminders of death. This was not an agreement to be entered into lightly. The penalty of breaking the covenant was death. The Thou shalt not’s of the Ten Commandments were an echo of the very first warning given to the very first man, Adam in the garden – “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)

Yet death serves not simply as a reminder of what will happen, but what has already taken place. All the blessings Israel would receive came through death. Remember the ten plagues in Egypt. Remember the Red Sea. God poured out judgement on Pharaoh and it was as a result of that judgement that Israel was set free.

The New Testament uses the analogy of a will to describe how we inherit the blessings of God through the death of Jesus.

¹⁶ In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, ¹⁷ because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. ¹⁸ This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.
Hebrews 9:16-18

Notice how the author to the Hebrews emphasizes how necessary it is for this death to take place. “It never takes effect while the one who made it is living.” Then he immediate draws a direct reference to Exodus 24, the first covenant signed with blood.

Meaning the sacrifice is not simply a stern warning against breaking the covenant. Rather it is a certain guarantee of the fullness of blessing. All of God’s promises have been paid for in full – through the death of the person who made that promise, God himself.

2. Sprinkling

⁸ Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.
Exodus 24:8

This is the blood drained from the animal sacrifice on the altar. But verse 6 reminds us that half was sprinkled on the altar; the other half was sprinkled on all the people.

The book of Hebrews again helps us understand that this sprinkling is a symbol of cleansing, of purification and of forgiveness.

¹⁹ When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. ²⁰ He said, This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep. ²² In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Hebrews 9:19, 20, 22

God is a holy God. Meaning he cannot tolerate sin. God is also a just God. Meaning he will judge and punish all who are sinful. Yet God is a loving and compassionate God who forgives the sin of his people and calls them into his presence.

The blood of the sacrifice reminded Israel that they were sinful. They were not better or more righteous than the other nations. Again and again Israel had rebelled against God and they deserved his punishment of death.

Yet this blood was sprinkled on the people to make them clean; to make them holy and acceptable before God. When we read this yesterday, some of you said, “That sounds silly! How can blood cleanse us? Won’t it stain our clothes and make us look less clean? You would have spots of blood all over us.”

And that’s the point. God sees the blood and that is the basis of our purity and acceptance. To be cleansed by the blood is to be forgiven by God (Hebrews 9:22). It means our sin has been paid for. It means we can enter into God’s presence without any fear of judgement and every confidence of his love.

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 10:19,22

3. Supper

⁹ Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up ¹⁰ and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. ¹¹ But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.
Exodus 24:9-11

This picks up from the beginning of the chapter in verse 1, which is an invitation. God is inviting Moses to join him in the mountain. He tells Moses to bring certain guests – Aaron and his sons, together with the seventy elders. These are representatives of all the people of Israel; the elders as leaders of the community; Aaron and his sons who would later be established as the line of the high priests in the tabernacle – representing the people to God through worship and sacrifice.

Yet, there are boundaries. Moses alone is to approach God, the rest must stay back (verse 2). Verse 11 reminds us how serious it was for the leaders to see God (Well, they saw that it was God; what they saw was the deep blue tile flooring symbolizing the heavens in which God dwelt) and not be struck down (“God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites”). Everyone else in the community still could not come near the mountain. Towards the end of the chapter, we see that even Moses needs to observe protocol. The mountain is covered with God’s glory –seen as cloud and fiery smoke – and Moses has to wait for six days until God calls him up.

Moses is what the bible calls a mediator, or if you like a middle-man. You can’t approach God directly so you approach the mediator, someone who has an inside connection with God. The priests in the temple were mediators. They offered up sacrifices on behalf of the people. You couldn’t perform the sacrifices yourself, only the priest could. In fact, only the High Priest could perform the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the whole nation, once a year on the Day of Atonement. In each and every case, you had to go through a middle-man. You could not approach God directly.

So God invites Moses and these representatives to join him up on the mountain. But what does he invite them to do? To pray? To bow down and worship? To confess their sin and offer sacrifice?

He invites them to dinner.

Now this is quite significant. All throughout Chapter 24 we see God calling his people into relationship, or another word is into “fellowship” with him. He calls Moses – but now he invites the elders as well. There is the sacrifice for sin (the burnt offering), but also the fellowship sacrifice. The blood if sprinkled on the altar (an offering to God), but also on the people (an offering on their behalf, cleansing them and making them acceptable before God).

God is establishing a relationship with his people. And the climax of that relationship was a meal. Moses and Aaron and his sons and the seventy elders ate and drank in the presence of God.

One of the most significant things Jesus did just before dying on the cross was to have a meal with his friends. In fact ever since, for the past two thousand years, Christians all around the world continue to remember the significance of that meal in what the bible calls Lord’s Supper.

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me. ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.
1 Corinthians 11:23-25

Jesus was pointing to the cross. His death was a sacrifice, not unlike the sacrifice on the altar. And his blood was the sign; the guarantee of a new covenant. Jesus was thinking of Exodus 24: of Moses and sprinkling of the blood and the meal with the seventy elders on the mountain of God. But this was a new agreement that God was making. It was an agreement sealed in Jesus’ own blood. It was shared with his Jesus’ friends through this meal. In Jesus, God became a man. Through Jesus, God ate and drank with us.

Exodus 24 is God’s invitation to his people to enter into a relationship with him as their God, and them as his people. But the heart of the message of the gospel is God’s invitation to us to enter into a better covenant and a more lasting relationship with God through Jesus. He is the true sacrifice and he is the one and only mediator.

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 2:5