Preached in Markham Baptist Church, March 26, 2006

 In writing to the Christians in Galatia Paul says, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  And if you think of all that Paul had to boast about – He has been great revelations, he has seen the risen Christ, He has planted churches throughout the ancient world, he has a great education, he held numerous degrees, doctorates, he knows his Scriptures – yet all of this he considers as nothing and says I will boast only of the cross of Christ.

And as we think about it, we have to say, of course.  For as we learned a few weeks ago that it is on the cross that Jesus took all of your sin and all of my sin.  It is on the cross that Jesus took all the wrath of God for our sin. It is through faith in Jesus on the cross that we experience forgiveness and know the love of God fully.  Of course we will boast in the cross of Christ.        

But if that isn’t enough, there is more.  In our text today we come to the next wondrous miracle that accompanies Jesus on the cross.  The tearing of the temple veil.  And like the miraculous darkness that covered the land for three hours the tearing of the temple veil is a work of God, it has His fingerprints all over it.  And like the miraculous darkness it is more than a coincidence, or a physical occurrence – it points us to something much deeper and significant. Something worth celebrating and boasting about.

“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.  At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”

What is this curtain that is torn?  That needs some explanation.  Way back during the time of Moses God prescribed how his people would meet him for worship and where his people would meet him for worship (Exodus 25:8; 26:1-37).  God told His people to build a portable church, a tabernacle.  It looked like this and in Exodus 25 and 26 God gives specific details about how to build it and how to furnish it. 

Now to help us understand the tabernacle let us imagine, and I am greatly helped by John Phillips in this¹ that we are Moabites, people from the neighboring nation and we are out walking on the heights and we look down and we see the Israelites and there are all their tents, arranged by tribe and in the center of all the tents is one large enclosure and tent structure.  We are curious so we go down to investigate. 

And as we get close to the center structure we discover that it is made of dazzling linen, which reaches over our head.  We walk around it till we come to a gate and we there we meet a man, an Israelite.

“Hello there” we say.  “Hello,” he says a little hesitantly.

He stands in the doorway, but we are able to see past him and looking in we see that the outer court of this enclosure is bustling with activity.  And we ask, “Can we go in there?”

 “Who are you?” He looks at us rather suspiciously because any Israelite would know he was free to enter the outer court of the tabernacle.

“We are from Moab.”  “Well,” he says, “I’m very sorry but you cannot go in there.  It’s not for you.  The law of Moses forbids the Moabites from any part in the worship of Israel until his tenth generation.”

“What would I have to do to go in there?”

“I suppose you would have to be born all over again.  Born again? (laughing) Sometimes I just crack myself up, like anyone could be born again.  But seriously, you would have to be born an Israelite, a child of God, to get in there.”

“I wish I had been born an Israelite of one of the tribes of Israel.”  As we look closer we see someone offering a sacrifice at the brazen altar.  He then moves over to the brazen laver, a huge bath tub looking thing, and cleanses himself.  And then the priest goes through a curtain and into a big tent enclosure.

“What’s in there? Inside that main tent?”

“Oh,” says the man, “That’s the tabernacle itself.  Inside there is a room containing a lamp stand, a table and an altar of gold.  The man you saw go in is a priest.  He will trim the lamp, eat the bread on the table, and bur incense to the living God upon the golden altar.”

“O, I do wish I was born an Israelite so that I could do that.  I would love to worship God in that holy place and help him to trim the lamp, to eat the bread and offer some incense to God.”

“Oh no,” says the man, “even I could not do that.  To worship in the holy place one must not only be born an Israelite, one must be born of the tribe of Levi.  This tribe has been set aside from all the tribes of Israel to be priests.”

“O. I wish I had been born an Israelite in the tribe of Levi.  Is there anything else in there?”

“Yes.  There is a veil.  It is a beautiful veil, I’m told which the divides the tabernacle in two.  Beyond the veil is what we call the Most Holy Place, or the Holy of Holies.”

“Why is it called the Holy of Holies?”

“Because that is where God dwells.  There is the ark of the covenant which contains sacred memorials of our past. The top is made of gold and we call that the mercy seat.  That is where the blood of the sacrifice is offered for the sins of the people.  And God dwells above the mercy seat between the golden cherubim and looks down at the blood sacrifice and forgives the sin of the people. ”

“If only I were a priest I would love to go into the Holy of Holies and there gaze upon God and worship Him there in the beauty of holiness.”

O no!  You couldn’t do that even if you were a priest!  To enter into the Most Holy Place you would have to be the HIGH priest of Israel.  Only he can go in there.  Nobody else, only he.  The veil is there to keep people out!”

“If only I had been born an Israelite, of the tribe of Levi.  If only I had been born a high priest.  I would go in there, into the Holy of Holies.  I would go in there every day. I would go in there three times a day.  I would worship continually in the Holy of Holies.”      

This time the man shakes his head, “You do not understand. You could not do that.  Even the high priest of Israel can go in there only once a year and then only after the most elaborate of preparations, on the day of atonement.  He goes and makes sacrifices for his sins and the sins of all of Israel.  And even when he does go in he only goes for a little while.”

There is nothing left for us to do, but to turn away, for being Moabites we have no hope in the world of ever entering there. 

Now fast forward thousands of years to a time when Israel is a settled people, they have a land and they have a temple.  And they build the temple with the same design as the tabernacle.  This time we are Gentiles, and there is a court of Gentiles, and a court for women, but there is still the Holy place, where only the priests may enter, and there is still the Holy of Holies and there is still a veil.  And as Gentiles, we can only stand at the gate and look wistfully in for we are shut out.  With no hope of ever entering into the Holy of Holies to meet with God. 

It’s just not possible.  We do not have the right bloodline, the proper sacrifices need to be offered, God is so holy and we are so unholy.  There is no possible way for us to enter into the presence of God.  Unless, unless.  Unless we could be born all over again, unless we could be made new – so that we could be called children of God, His very own.  And that could happen if the perfect sacrifice was offered, on our behalf, if the perfect sacrifice could be offered, if the life blood of a perfect sacrifice could be offered so as to pay for our sin then we could be declared cleansed of our sin and declared holy then – then it would be possible for us to enter into God’s presence and live with Him forever. 

“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his Spirit.  At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”

The curtain of the temple which for thousands of years represented our inability to approach God. The veil which symbolizes our sin, our need for the perfect sacrifice was torn in two.  It is torn by God Himself - it could not be torn by any human hand  - it is four inches thick.  It is thirty feet high.  This miracle has God’s fingerprints all over it.  And God is saying, “the way has been opened, through faith in Jesus Christ you can approach God.”

It is amazing.  But we can still ask, “So what?  So the temple veil was torn from top to bottom and I have access to God – so what?”  Well, okay, if that news doesn’t thrill you and stir you, then there are these facts to consider.  

First understand that at one time we were Moabites, Gentiles, “we were excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12).  That’s a fact.  We needed to be born again.  And the miracle of it all is that when we place our faith in Christ we are born again, we become children of God and we inherit a new blood line.  In Christ Jesus we who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13)  Through faith in Christ’s sacrifice you are now a child of God, fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household (Ephesians 2:19). You have every right to enter in to God’s presence. You have become a child of God.

Second, understand that the veil, that which separated you from God is torn apart by Christ’s sacrifice.  You need to know that the proper sacrifice has been offered on your behalf.  Jesus is the perfect sacrifice, the lamb without blemish.  

And this gives us confidence to approach God, doesn’t it?  The reason we are able to approach God any time we want, the reason we can approach God without the fear of being turned away is because of Christ’s sacrifice.  It is an objective fact that you are called on to believe in, because of Christ’s sacrifice you can approach God.  It does not depend on your feelings, it does not depend on your level of holiness.  You don’t need to hesitate – you are able to approach God, even more able to live in God’s presence through faith in Christ’s sacrifice. 

Sometimes we think we can’t approach God because we don’t feel holy, or we know we have fallen into sin and our conscience pricks us, convicts us.  So when communion comes our way we don’t pick up the bread we don’t take the cup because we think we are not holy enough.  We can’t enter God’s presence.  Exactly.  In myself I am not holy enough, but through faith in Christ and his sacrifice the miracle of it is I am and all who believe are made holy. 

Hebrews 10:19 - “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus …”

We have confidence to enter into the Most Holy Place - why?  What is our confidence based on? It is based on the blood of Jesus.  And only on the blood of Jesus.   The death of Jesus, that’s what the “blood” refers to.  So when your conscience bothers you about some sin, confess it to God, by His Spirit live differently, that is, repent of it, and rest assured that you can come into His presence because of Christ’s sacrifice.   The perfect sacrifice has been offered.  The veil has been torn apart.  

Here’s the third thing you need to know.  The temple curtain was torn apart from top to bottom.  It wasn’t pulled to one side for a while only to be closed again.  It was torn apart – there’s a gaping hole there that remains for eternity.  My friends, God has made the way to Himself plain, He has made it accessible for you, He has made it possible for you to come to Him, to live for Him and with Him forever through faith in the cross of Christ.  There is nothing you can do to close that curtain to separate you from God, there is no sin that can keep you out. 

To be sure you can refuse to go in – and I pray that will not be case for you – but if you want to live with God now and for eternity the way has been opened for you.

Hebrews 10:19 and 20 - “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body.”

It is a new way - that is, it is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  This is a new way.  And it is a “living way.”  This is the point - it will never close, it is a living way because Christ is alive and anyone who wishes to come to God, through faith in Jesus Christ can do so.

It is a living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body.  That’s what the text says.  It compares the curtain with the body of Christ.  I have told you the curtain represents our sin and it is true, our sin locks us out of God’s presence.  And what did Jesus take on the cross for us?  He took our sin.  His body was torn in two for our sin – and the moment he died the curtain was torn in two our sin was paid for and that curtain cannot be closed again. His body was torn, the curtain was torn, our sin is paid for and the curtain cannot be closed again.

So we say so what?  Well, the truth of it is through faith in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross you become a child of God, so you are legally able to enter into God’s presence.  Not only this but the proper sacrifice been offered for you so that you approach God at any time.  Not only that but you don’t need to have any worries that that curtain will close because of something that you have done.  It remains open and you can come and receive the forgiveness of God through faith in Christ’s sacrifice. But on top of all this – you have a great priest over the house of God.

Hebrews 10:21 – “and since we have a great priest over the house of God.”

Jesus Christ is our great priest.  He is the one who offered the perfect sacrifice and delivered it into the Holy of Holies thus tearing that curtain from top to bottom.  What’s this have to do with the torn temple curtain?  It means this, you no longer need a priest to mediate between yourself and God.  Jesus Christ is our priest.  He is our mediator.  You don’t need any human to bring you into the presence of God.  You don’t need any priest to offer you forgiveness.  You don’t need any ceremony, any ritual, to bring you into the presence of God.  Jesus Christ has offered the sacrifice, He is the sacrifice and He is our priest. You can go directly to God yourself. 

That’s great news.  You don’t need to find the right priest, you don’t need to find the right person – we have the right person in Jesus Christ and we can go directly to God through faith in Him.

So?  So continues the text, let us draw near to God.  Don’t stand on the outside looking in. God has made it possible through faith in His Son for you to draw near to Him, o know the wonder of His embrace and to embrace Him back.  

So let us draw near to God with a sincere heart, a heart that truly desires a relationship with God, in full assurance of faith, that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice is perfect and all that is needed for our to draw near to God, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 

Jesus Christ, our high priest, has offered the sacrifice on our behalf. He is our representative and through faith in Him we are cleansed inside and out enabling us to draw near to God.

An invitation is offered.  People are encouraged to respond. 

Copyright MBC and Tom Cullen - March 2006

ENDNOTES:

1. John Phillips, Exploring Hebrews (Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1988): 126-127.

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