The Crossing
How did I get here? | Behind the Curtain Part 6
Long before Jesus set foot on our planet, before He ever took on human form, He had a purpose, personality, and presence that was prophesied in the Bible. As we look toward the Christmas season, we go behind the curtain to learn who Jesus really was.
Locations & Times
The Crossing - Keokuk
610 Timea St, Keokuk, IA 52632, USA
Thursday 6:25 PM
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
About The Crossing
The Crossing is a multi-campus, non-denominational Christian church with locations in Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa. We exist to minister in local communities, following our core values to bring people to an intimate and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Visit www.thecrossing.net to learn more about our church.
To make the most of your experience, we encourage you to follow along with the provided sermon notes, as well as take your own notes. You can also download the OneCrossing app to watch past sermons and stay connected. www.thecrossing.net/app
To make the most of your experience, we encourage you to follow along with the provided sermon notes, as well as take your own notes. You can also download the OneCrossing app to watch past sermons and stay connected. www.thecrossing.net/app
There are three questions to be answered: Does God care about my sin? Does God love me? How do I get into heaven?
Answering these questions requires going behind the curtain into the Old Testament, first to the book of Genesis and the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned, God killed an animal, made garments for them, and covered their shame, banishing them from the Garden of Eden.
Next, to Egypt, when the Israelites were enslaved. Before the 10th plague, the Israelites slaughtered a young goat or lamb that was perfect, spreading the blood across the doorframes of their houses. When God saw that blood, his judgment would pass over the home, sparing the first born child.
Then, as the Israelites traveled through the desert, God commanded them to make a tabernacle where His presence would dwell and where the people could find temporary forgiveness for their sins. The priests made animal sacrifices on behalf of the people at the Altar of Burnt Offering.
A sacrifice covers the sins of the people - a debt was owed and someone else paid it for you: atonement. This was accomplished through Burnt Offerings, Sin Offerings, and Guilt Offerings.
The Tabernacle contained a basin for cleansing, where the priests would cleanse themselves daily before meeting with God.
The Holy Place inside the Tabernacle contained the table of Bread and Presence, reminding the people of God’s presence and provision, as well as the Lamp Stand, giving light to the area and also representing God’s presence with them. In addition was the Altar of Incense, where incense was burnt day and night as a sign of their prayers rising up.
The Most Holy Place was separated by a giant veil, a curtain 60 feet tall, 30 feet wide and 4 inches thick, potentially requiring 300 priests to put it in place.
Once a year the priest would go behind the curtain, which contained the Ark of the Covenant, containing a pot of manna from the time God miraculously provided for the people in the wilderness. It also contained Aaron’s rod that blossomed, as evidence of the priesthood and the 10 Commandments.
The Mercy Seat sat atop the Golden Ark, with two Angels on either side. God’s presence would dwell above the Atonement Seat between them.
Once a year the priest would go in and sprinkle the blood of a bull and a goat on the mercy seat as well as symbolically place the sins of the people onto a goat that would be led into the wilderness, never to be seen again.
We step out from behind the curtain to witness the words and work of Jesus and hear the words of John the Baptist.
Picture the entire Temple Complex through the lens of Jesus.
The door to enter the temple.
The Altar of Burnt Offering
The Basin
The Holy Place and the Bread and Presence
The Lamp Stand
The Altar of Incense
The New Testament writers go out of their way to bear witness to Jesus’ death on the cross, because He fulfills so many of the symbols of God’s presence and forgiveness for His people behind the curtain.
To answer the original questions: God cares about our sin. Every sin requires a sacrifice, an atonement, and He sent His Son to do it.
God does love you. He demonstrated it by Christ’s death for us while we were still sinners.
We get into heaven by the blood of Jesus! God in His great mercy sent His son to die in my place.
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