Life Lessons with Dr. Steve Schell

43 - The Price of Priesthood

 

It’s beautiful to watch someone minister in the power of the Holy Spirit. Everything seems to flow so easily and naturally, as if that man or woman effortlessly knew just what to say or do. But ministry is never as easy as it looks. There are many personal sacrifices and inner struggles that must take place before God can consider us fit for His service. Today as we look at the garments He designed for Israel’s high priest we’ll discover they were meant to be symbols which reminded the one wearing them of the price that had to be paid in order to serve as a priest of God. As we examine each of the seven articles we’ll be reminded of the price God still calls us to pay if we are to be in His service. In effect, every Christian has been summoned to be a “priest” of the living God (1Pe 2:5, 9; Rev 1:6), but sadly many refuse to put on the proper garments. Perhaps it’s because they decide the responsibilities are too great, or possibly they feel unworthy of such a role. But for those who do there is a “glory” and a “beauty” (v 2) with which God clothes them. And, of course, that’s why when they minister everything seems to flow so easily and naturally.

42 - The Ark of the Covenant

Now that Israel had entered into covenant with God He ordered Moses to prepare a portable tent so He could travel with the nation and dwell in their midst. But the tabernacle was not to be a normal tent. God designed it down to the smallest detail so it would teach His people essential spiritual lessons. In all there would be seven major pieces of furniture and each symbolized a truth about God, and the most important of these symbols was the Ark of the Covenant. Other objects in the complex would explain what God would do for His people and how they could draw near to Him, but the Ark with its mercy seat explained the heart of God Himself. Today we’ll look at this beautiful acacia-wood box and the gold plate resting on top of it and listen to its message. Then to confirm that we’ve interpreted these symbols correctly we’ll hear God describe Himself in His own words, first to Moses and then through His Son Jesus Christ. Then finally we’ll ask the question: What effect do these truths have on us personally as believers.

41 - The Tabernacle of God

Rather than slowing down, the demands seem to be increasing. At times I look ahead at all I have to do and fear rises up telling me there’s no way I’ll have the strength to do what’s being asked of me. But more and more I also hear the Holy Spirit, just as the panic starts to accelerate, telling me, “Don’t look at all that’s ahead. Just take matters one at a time and turn to Me for help before you start each one.” When I obey this principle I am repeatedly amazed to find I have the strength I need to take the next step. Sometimes that strength arrives only minutes before I need it, but remarkably it does arrive. I think I’m learning what Paul meant when he said, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Php 4:13), and also why the Lord Jesus said, “…do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Mt 6:34). Basically God wants me to know He’s always there because He literally dwells within me. He isn’t a distant God, but His help and guidance are always near at hand.

 

No sooner had God made a covenant with Israel than He ordered Moses to “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them” (Ex 25:8). This was a portable tent which could be set up wherever the nation camped so God could dwell in the midst of His people. The construction of this tabernacle was the beginning of a great theme running through the Bible: The Lord wants to dwell in the midst of His people wherever they go. The more we learn about this truth, the more it will change our lives.

40 - The Community of the Covenant

A covenant is fundamentally a commitment to a new relationship.  After a covenant has been formed a brand-new relationship exists.  Those who have taken part in the ceremony have been bonded together like the members of a family.  And one of the most ancient ways of expressing this new level of love and trust was to eat a meal together.  Somehow the very act of breaking bread together has always conveyed an acceptance of one another.  When we eat a meal together we tend to relax, drop our defenses and open our hearts to one another.  That’s why a powerful part of the covenant ceremony was the meal both parties ate together afterwards.  It was a statement saying, “All our divisions and distrust are gone.  Now we belong to each other like family.” In this sense forming a covenant was like adopting someone into your family.

At first glance the passage we’re reading today seems odd and out of place.  What are these elders doing at the top of Mt. Sinai eating and drinking before God? But once we recognize this to be a normal part of ancient covenant ceremonies we discover a profound spiritual statement is being made: a new spiritual family has been formed with God as its Father.  He has adopted Israel and committed to love them, and they have committed to love and be loyal to Him as well as to one another.  So this strange meal on the mountain suddenly becomes a prophetic voice calling us today as the people of a New Covenant to truly be the family of God.

39 - More of God

Verse 7: The prayer tent Ex 38:8 the women serving in hosts • Laver from their mirrors • “Hosts” military term: ranks

38 - The Blood of the Covenant

What is a covenant?

• A solemn promise enforced by a curse one invokes on oneself. Obedience is also encouraged by promised blessings.

When did the Old Covenant begin?

• Previous covenants: Adam, Noah, Abraham
• But when we speak of the New Covenant this is the covenant which has been replaced.
• The nation of Israel entered into a covenant with God.
• “All that the Lord has spoke we will do and we will be obedient.”

What did the blood mean?

• Covenant:  “May this happen to me if I should break this covenant” (Jer 34:18-20)
• Sacrifice: “This should have happened to me but God has mercifully allowed this animal to take my place.”

Was mercy available to those who broke the Old Covenant?

• Yes, for most sins but not for blasphemy, murder, adultery, kidnapping

37 - The Joy of Contentment

It’s one thing to ask me to not make an idol, or profane the Lord’s name, or work on the sabbath, or dishonor my parents, or murder, or break my marriage covenant, or steal, or lie, but it’s quite another when you look at the hidden motives of my heart and command me to be content with my lot in life. Now you’re in an area inside of me I hardly understand myself. You’re asking me to control something that in reality seems to have control of me. Yet, the tenth commandment tells me not to covet, meaning I shouldn’t desire things that belong to others. I’m told to be totally satisfied with the gifts God has given me, and delighted when others appear to have more blessings than I do. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus explained that each commandment reaches beyond our actions to the attitudes within our hearts. But this last commandment starts there, telling us to be selfless and humble, and that’s something no human can do without a miracle. Even St. Paul tells us this was the commandment he was helpless to obey before he was born-again (Ro 7:7–12). When he tried he found compulsive attitudes in him that only got worse when he tried to bring them under control. But whenever God asks us to do something He always provides the help we need to succeed. So, let’s look in His Word today to find the provisions he’s made that will set us free from coveting.

36 - The Power of Truth

 

1. The ninth commandment: “You shall not lie about your neighbor”

 

2. Since the Ten Commandments are lessons designed to teach us to love, this commandment says simply that if I love someone I will not lie about them, nor will I lie to them. I won’t: testify against them falsely in court; destroy their reputation through slander; alienate those who love them by gossip.

 

3. In other words, I will not use my lips to destroy people.

• Our speech is the primary way we influence the world around us
• Matthew 12:34 “…the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good, and the evil man brings out of his treasure what is evil. But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.”
• James 3:2–12 the tongue is a fire

35 - The Price of Prosperity

When it comes to stealing, the human mind can be so creative it would be impossible to write enough laws to prevent it in all its forms. There are flagrant, aggressive ways to steal and subtle, passive ways. Some types are obvious while others could never be proven in a court of law because they depend on hidden attitudes of the heart. Who’s to say a misleading statement was intentional, or that a person did or didn’t work as diligently as possible on a project, or whether a neighbor really forgot to return a borrowed item. So when it comes right down to it, the only person who can make me obey the eighth commandment is me. And the biggest problem I face is convincing myself I want to obey it. In practice honesty can be a very costly path to take. It will force me to turn down certain opportunities to take something I want. It will force me to work hard and be patient. It will make me put the needs of others ahead of my own. And while those choices sound good in principle they can be very frustrating to live out in daily life. Refusing to steal may sound like a noble ideal, but unless I’m convinced God loves me and will do miracles to provide for me, I will soon find myself coming up with excuses for breaking this commandment. It forces me to choose between God and wealth… to decide who I love the most.

34 - The Marriage Covenant

Today it’s not uncommon to hear the term “sexual revolution” applied to the dramatic changes our society is undergoing in its thinking about sexual behaviors. Those who use this term assume that a new view of sex is emerging out of the uninformed bigotry of our cultural past. But that’s not what’s happening at all. The only real sexual revolution in human history has been produced by the Bible. What’s happening in America and Europe is that many are simply returning to the primitive sexual behaviors that dominated the ancient world before the Bible arrived. Infidelity and promiscuity were actually sanctioned and practiced by the official religions of the rest of ancient near east (TWOT, vol 2, pp 542–543). Sacred prostitution (male and female) (Dt 23:1), regular prostitution (Lv 19:29), homosexuality (Lv 18:22), bestiality (Ex 22:19; Dt 27:21), and transvestiture (Dt 22:5) were common in the ancient world. So as we turn to the seventh commandment we encounter a radically new way of thinking about sex. The idea that it should only be between a man and a woman and that it should only take place after a lifelong commitment has been made is so unnatural to human thinking it could only have come from God. Again, like the sixth commandment, He required only two words to say bluntly, “No adultery!” To understand this commandment we will first define the term “adultery,” then reflect on the nature of the marriage covenant and finally we’ll consider seven attitudes essential if we are to succeed in obeying it.