Thy House Is Left Desolate!

Congregants: [inaudible]

Preacher Carlos: Praise the Lord. So, it's tough to talk about a topic when everybody else is talking about that topic, right? But the sanctuary is so unique. The Bible is so unique in that sense. And so I'm going to share with you a little something, a little different perspective as I was preparing this presentation. I was excited for this. And so I've enjoyed it and I'm thinking and I'm hoping that you will also. Amen? So we talk about 'thy house is left desolate'. I have a question. Where was the first sanctuary? Who can tell me? Where was the first sanctuary?

Congregants: In the Garden of Eden.

Preacher Carlos: In the Garden of Eden. Very good. Amen. The first sanctuary, the most holy place was in the Garden of Eden. Why? Because God did what? Why was that the most holy place, the first one? Because God did what? He dwelled with Adam and Eve, right? He dwelled in the very presence, the pure, holy presence of God with Adam and Eve. Face-to-face relationship is beautiful as was presented earlier by Don, right? But notice what happened. In the beginning, man was created in the image of God. He was in perfect harmony with the nature and the law of God. The principles of what? Of righteousness were written upon his heart. This is why he can dwell in the presence of God because Adam and Eve were created in the image and likeness of God, in character, right? In their potential, in their capacity. They were created. They had the law already written in their heart. Amen? Notice what it says. But sin did what?

Congregants: Alienated.

Preacher Carlos: Alienated, I'm asking you because I don't know how to say that. Yeah, that one. Alienated. But sin alienated him from his maker. He no longer reflected the divine image. And what was wrong? His heart was at war with what? With the principles of God's law, which were supposed to be written where? So now there's a battle, there's a struggle, there's a conflict between God and his creation. And scripture says that Adam and Eve what? They fell from God's presence. I would call this the first abomination of desolation. Right? They're no longer in the presence of God. They're no longer able to dwell in the presence of God. And so my question is, did God walk away? No, God did not walk away. What did God do? He adapted to the circumstances, amen? He saw the situation and he adapted to the circumstances and the challenges in order to establish a new relationship with fallen humanity. Is everybody with me? And so God is always seeking and searching. And in that very same hour, in that very same moment that Adam and Eve fell, the gospel was preached to Adam and Eve. Amen? The gospel was presented. The everlasting gospel was presented right there.

Now, when you ask a Seventh-day Adventist, what is the everlasting gospel? What will most Seventh-day Adventists tell you? Three angels message, right? You know the three angels' message is not the everlasting gospel? Before you get a vegan heart attack. What? No. The three angels' message is the end time part of the everlasting gospel. Because the everlasting gospel has been since when? Everlasting. But when you study the three angels' messages, the first angels' message was preached around what year? 1840s. You see that? So the everlasting gospel, the three angels' message is the last stage or the last phase of the everlasting gospel of God's plan of salvation. Is everybody with me? Who says amen to that? Now, when we talk about the everlasting gospel, what is the gospel? That's the question. What is the gospel? And so you ask different people what the gospel is, the three angels' message, Christ on the cross, Christ's resurrection, and all of those answers are correct. But there's one Bible verse that explains to us with clarity what is the everlasting gospel. What is the gospel? What is the good news?

Romans chapter 1:16-17 is the answer. "For I am not ashamed of what? Of the gospel of Christ." For it is what? What is the gospel? The power of God to what? To save. To save us from what? From sin. Amen? Sin separated us from God. So in order for there to be reconciliation, atonement, what has to be solved? The problem of? Sin. So the everlasting gospel is that Jesus Christ is the power of God to save us from sin. Who says amen? That's the everlasting gospel. And notice what it says. For in it, or in the gospel, what is that power? What gives the gospel the power to save people? What is it? It's the righteousness of God, amen? The goodness of God, the love of God, the mercy of God. The patience of God. Now, has that only been presented since Christ came to the earth? No, it's all throughout the whole Bible, amen? The whole Bible is talking about the righteousness of God. Of how good God is, how loving God is, and how God has done everything divinely possible to save every single human being. And that righteousness of God is revealed through the scriptures. Who says amen? And so in Genesis chapter 3, we see that right after Adam and Eve fall, God then comes to them with the gospel and he comes to them with the everlasting covenant. And what does that everlasting covenant compass? Or entitle? There are three main promises in the covenant. How many promises?

Congregants: Three.

Preacher Carlos: Three main promises in the covenant. In the everlasting covenant. And they're explained, the three of them, in Genesis chapter 3. Number one, God says, I'm going to forgive you of your sins. I'll say that again. God says I forgive you of your sins. The righteousness of God. I don't deserve forgiveness. But God is righteous. Amen? That's Genesis 3:22. God does not only want us to forgive us of our sins, but God also wants to give us victory over sin, amen? That's Genesis chapter 3 verse 15. For that seed from the woman shall come and there will be a battle. There will be a war that's going to be raged and you're going to hurt the seed, but the seed is going to what? Stomp on your head and destroy you, amen? That's saying what? There will be victory over the devil. And how does the devil beat us? Temptation and sin. So it's saying that the victory that was coming was a victory over temptation over sin and over the devil. My brother was excited about that. And the third promise of the everlasting gospel is that God was going to restore the tree of life.

You're not excited about that? I am. Why? Because it says that the tree of life was guarded. If it was guarded, that means that at some moment there's a possibility for what? To it open up again. Amen? And so that's the promise, right? The promise of the tree of life restored, everlasting life, or in other words, of the end of sin. Because when sin comes to an end, it says in Revelation chapter 22, "That God is going to bring back the tree of life when we are back in that relationship." Who says amen? And so that is the new covenant, my love, [?]was the new covenant experience in the heart is through what? Is through faith.

So what we're going to do is I want to show you. I want you to look at this image and this image, I'm going to be repeating it through the presentation. And when you look at it, I want you to think about two things. Number one, that arc is your heart and my heart. Amen? The arc is what? The human heart. And number two, that priest is who? Jesus Christ. Trying to do what? Cleansing the heart. This is the new covenant experience. This is the new covenant that was presented from the very beginning, from the very fall. Even before the fall, God had already brought forth the new covenant experience. Amen?

Now, I know it's hard to think about it sometimes because sometimes we're so caught up with old covenant, right? Old Testament before Jesus, new covenant, new Testament when Jesus comes in. I'm not saying that's necessarily wrong. Don't get me wrong. I'm just wanting to share with you what the Bible and we're going to see a spirit of prophecy, gives us a little bit of a different angle and a little bit more insight into this aspect because the truth is there are not two covenants. There's only what? The everlasting covenant. There are not two Testaments. There's one Testament because everything from Scripture from Genesis chapter 1 to Revelation 22 points to Jesus Christ. Amen?

And so that's why Daniel said when sometimes we come across the book of Leviticus, I remember I had made a promise to God and I said, I'm going to read through the whole Bible. And when I hit Leviticus, I'm like, what did I say? But I had to read through it, but you know why the first time it was so hard? Because I did not look at it from the new covenant experience. I did not look at it. And when you look at Scripture, all of it through the new covenant experience, the whole thing changed. It becomes alive, amen?

And so God then makes a new covenant with Adam and Eve. We see with Seth, we see then with Noah, and then we see that Abraham comes along, right? And God in Genesis chapter 15 gives Abraham a promise. What did he say? He was going to give him. He was going to give him a child, right? How old was Abraham when God said it originally 75 years old, he's a pup. And so Abraham says, okay, God, thank you. I'm ready. But then comes Genesis 16. 11 years later and nothing has happened. And so what does Abraham do? Instead of staying in the new covenant experience, instead of walking by faith, instead of putting and keeping his heart in the trust. And the promises of God, what does he do? He takes Hagar, right? And Hagar has a son called Ishmael. And then what happens in Genesis chapter 17? Ishmael is now 13. Abraham is 99, still nothing. And what does God have him do? Circumcision. Why circumcision? Because that's where the problem began. The problem started in the flesh. And so God says, now we're going to solve that problem of the flesh. You're going to be circumcised, right? So what was God trying to say? Stop trusting in yourself. Stop trusting in you. Stop trusting on your strength, on your merits, on your power. Trust in me, Amen?

And so look at what it says in Genesis 17:11, "You shall be circumcised where? In the flesh of your foreskins. And it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you." Notice, circumcision happens where? In the flesh. And that's one of the problems or the consequences of sin is that now we are born [inaudible] how? What does God need to do with that fleshly nature? He needs to circumcise it, rip it off. Are you following me? And that's the new covenant experience that God was trying to teach Abraham. I have a question. Did Abraham learn? Yes, he did. It took a while. Because even for us, it takes time to understand what it means to live in the new covenant. But after a hundred years, Isaac was born. And so this new covenant is living by faith in God's promises, amen?

So circumcision was how God was showing Abraham not to depend on his flesh, on his members, but on God's promises. And so every time that Abraham had intimacy with Sarah, every time he took a shower, every time he went to the bathroom, he would remember God is faithful. Amen? God is faithful in everything he did. He would remember that. Look at how it says, if man had kept the law of God as given to Adam after his fall, preserved by Noah and observed by Abraham, there would have been no necessity for the ordinance of circumcision. The only reason God implements circumcision is because what? Because Abraham doesn't live by the faith. He lives by the flesh. His decisions were fleshly, carnal, his thoughts, his desires. And so God implements it to show him a lesson. Are you catching me? As a sign to say, I told you I was going to fulfill my promise. And if the descendants of Abraham had kept the covenant, they would never have been seduced into idolatry, nor would it have been necessary for them to suffer a life of bondage, where? In Egypt. Why did they fall into slavery in Egypt? Because were they obeying God? The problem was they were trying to do things on their own. They were living in what? In the old covenant. I got it. Don't worry. I can do it, Lord. Sit back and I'll take control from here. That's the old covenant mentality. Are you catching me? Look at what it says here. They would have kept God's law where? Where is the law here? In the mind or in the heart? Where is the law in the new covenant?

God was trying to show them the new covenant and there would have been no necessity for it to be proclaimed from Sinai or engraved upon the tablets of stone. He's saying if they would have lived, walked by faith, if they would have accepted my everlasting covenant, I would not have even needed to write that on stone. Why? Because God wanted to write it where? In our hearts. These are all of these things are the result of God adapting to the situation as humans stubbornly as we stubbornly continue to try to do things on our own, through our own knowledge, our own strength, our own belief. I'm educated, I'm this. I have this much experience. I got this God. Had the people practice the principles of the Ten Commandments, there would have been no need of the additional directions given to Moses. None of those ceremonial things. None of that. Why? Because God did not want to dwell in a tabernacle. He wanted to dwell in us. That's the new covenant. From the very beginning, that was God's plan to dwell with his people. And even Moses knew this. Because if you read in Exodus chapter 15, Moses was talking about the heavenly sanctuary. Did you know that? Moses knew about the heavenly sanctuary. Moses knew what the plan of salvation is.

Look at how Galatians explains the new covenant experience. For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondwoman, that's of the flesh, O covenant, and the other by a free woman, that is of faith, the new covenant, but he who was of the bondwoman was born again according to the flesh, self, me, I got it, O covenant, and he of the free woman, through promise, of what? Faith. Believing in the promises of God, trusting in them, saying, God, you got this. Which things are what? Symbolic. Symbolic of what was this issue with Abraham? It says it very clearly. It says, "For these are the two covenants." The one from Mount Sinai, which gave birth to what? In Bondage and flesh, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia. In other words, God wanted to get into a covenant after he takes them out of Egypt. God wanted to dwell in the heart of the Israelites. But after he reveals his glory, what did they say? No, no, no. You stay over there. We'll stay over here. You talk to Moses. God was offering for them to be a sanctuary. He wanted them to be the temple. He wanted to dwell in the hearts of each and every one of them. But they said, no, we're good. We got this. God said, okay.

Jerusalem, which now is and is in bondage with her children. That's talking about who? Paul in that very moment. Jerusalem was still what? Living in the old covenant. But the Jerusalem above is what? Free of faith. Amen. And so why not Ishmael? Why didn't God accept Ishmael? Because the plan of salvation is not based on our merits, on our works, but God's. The old covenant is man's attempt to obey with his strength. And that was Israel's mistake, promising obedience. Did you catch that? And so what was God's response to the rejection of them not wanting him to dwell in their hearts? He made a sanctuary. He said, okay, I'm going to have to explain it to you in a different way. I'm going to have to present to you the plan of salvation some other way, because you're not letting me. You don't want to live in the new covenant experience? okay. I'm going to adapt to what your mind said and to what you're thinking about. And let's do something different. If I can't reveal my name, my glory, my character, my righteousness through you, then I'll do it through an earthly structure where everybody will be able to see who is the God of Israel.

My loved ones, the sanctuary experience is dwelling with God. And so God said to Israel, I want to make a covenant with you. I want to give you the everlasting covenant. And what did they say? No, we don't want the new covenant. We want the old covenant. What? Yes. Look at it here. The people did not realize the sinfulness of their own hearts and that without Christ, it was what? Impossible for them to keep God's law. Feeling that they were able to establish their own righteousness or their own covenant, that's what they wanted. They declared, all that the Lord has said we will do and be obedient. God wanted to have the new covenant experience with them, but they said, no, we are going to establish our own covenant. They said, whatever you said, we will obey. And God was like, okay. Right? God doesn't want us to go through these trials and tribulations, but he lets it happen. So that when we hit rock bottom, we realize you were right. You are righteous. You know what's best, Lord. And so we go through this stumbling through our lives the whole time.

Look at this quote. This is beautiful. Yet only a few weeks passed before they broke their covenant with God. Right? Proving the very point. We got it, God. We'll obey. And bowed down to worship a graven image. Seeing their sinfulness and their need of pardon, they were brought to feel their need of the Savior revealed in the Abrahamic covenant and shadowed forth in the sacrificial offerings. Amen? Guys, they started to get it. Oh, we understand now, Lord. Now by faith, and pay attention to this. Now by faith and love, they were bound to God as their deliverer from the bondage of sin. Not their own efforts, not their own covenant, not their own works. But what? The promises of God. Now they were prepared to appreciate what? Ooh-hoo-hoo. But what happened? Downhill again. Downhill, downhill, downhill, downhill, downhill. And when you study, my loved ones, in Exodus chapter 25, Exodus chapter 40, it's beautiful because even despite them rejecting God dwelling in them, God still shows them the sanctuary. He shows them that He wants to dwell with them. Amen? He wants to be close with them. He wants to be that intimate relationship. And dwell why? Because He wants to meet with us. He wants to talk with us, it says in Exodus. And meet and talk to us about what? About His direction, His guidance, His protection, His help, His warnings. Amen? That's what the sanctuary was. It was a protection that God was giving them. Everything that they needed. All they need to do is what? Trust in Him. And so despite that

God used that. But He still wanted a new covenant experience. Amen? And some of them got it but very few got it. People like Joshua and Caleb, right? Moses, some of the judges.

If you study the history, go through the desert, go through Joshua, go through judges, and then go through the kings, and that is just a big soap opera. Right? Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. God trying to teach them about the new covenant experience that He wanted with His people. And they were like, 'No, we got it.' Boom! Right back in the same place. Because you see, my loved ones, there is no way that we can overcome the bondage of sin. There's no works on our part that we can do. We hear the word, obey. No! We can't obey. The flesh does not cooperate with God, it just can't. That's what Romans 8 said, it's impossible. What we, you and me have here, it's not going to cooperate, and it's not going to improve either. God help me to be a better Christian. No! You're not going to be a better Christian. God, help me to completely surrender to Your will. Teach me Your ways, Lord. Show me my unrighteousness. Show me, God, give me the strength to walk according to Your word, according to Your law, according to Your... That's the prayer. It's not trying to lift us up. It's to what? To bring us down. And recognize that we have nothing. That's what John the Baptist said. Christ must increase and we must decrease. But today in this self-centered Christianity that we see, it's all about me. That's the problem. That's why there's no power today. And if you think it's going to get exciting, wait till tomorrow. We'll talk about why that power is not being manifested among us. And part of it is because we live a self-centered Christianity. It's all about me, not about God. And we're going to see that in a second. Then along comes David. And so God wants the same new covenant experience. And if you read through this, if you read through it with a new covenant mindset, look at what it says. 1 Kings 8:16. "Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a what? A house. We're thinking sanctuary. Think new covenant, house. That my name, my character, my righteousness, my glory might be there. But I choose David or I choose Christ to be over my people.

Now it was in the heart of David or it was in the heart of Christ to build a temple, to come in the flesh for the name of God, the Lord God of Israel. Amen. To preach to all the world and that the world see who God really is. That was the whole purpose. That the world would be marveled at seeing what an amazing God. In Daniel chapter 2, it says gods don't dwell with humans, o urs does. Not only does he dwell with us, he wants to dwell in us. That's how intimate a relationship God is wanting with each and every one of us. God wants a new covenant experience.

And so then you see, my loved ones, when you go into the sanctuary, the desert sanctuary. I thought this was pretty cool. They're wandering out in the desert for 40 years. What's in the desert? Sand. But then he says, this is where I want you to build me a sanctuary. And where is that? On the rock. So representation of the old covenant, new covenant too. But that's where the parallels end. Because then came Babylon. And Babylon did what? Boom. Right back at it. Right? God's people continuing to live in the old covenant, continue to depend on self. And so God then leads us in through these times, through this slavery, the worst of all the times. And he leads us into then the life of Jesus Christ. And the major interactions in the life of Jesus Christ.

And if you read, for example, the first time Jesus Christ appears in the sanctuary, it's in Luke chapter 2. And it's the priest Simeon. And he says, when he sees the baby Jesus, which the Spirit had already revealed to him, what does he say? A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel. Amen? The Shekinah glory is here. He rejoices in it. And then we see, there are so many. I mean, just preparing for this one sermon, I realized I have a new prayer week. There's so much. I just don't have time to go into the details and the depths of every interaction that Jesus has with the sanctuary. It's amazing. Just do it. Just go through the Bible and look at every interaction that Jesus has. It's mind-blowing, the things that are happening.

And so, here's my question. How many services were there to cleanse sin in the sanctuary? How many main services? How many?

Congregants: [inaudible]

Preacher Carlos: Very good, you're smart. Two, the daily and the yearly. How many times does Jesus show up to cleanse the sanctuary? Twice. Twice He shows up. At the beginning of His ministry and then at the end of His ministry. Amen? Because of time, I'm only going to be able to really cover the first cleansing today. Tomorrow we'll cover the second cleansing or in the next topic. Everybody with me?

So what happens is the first time we see Jesus come up to the sanctuary, where? In John chapter 2. In John chapter 2 verse 13. Go with me please. John chapter 2. Let's look at the first cleansing. And what happens in the first cleansing is that Jesus shows up and He's seeing the chaos, He's seeing the corruption, He's seeing the confusion, He's seeing the desecration, He's seeing the disrespect to the house of God, to the house of His Father that is supposed to reflect the glory, the righteousness, the character of God to the world. Jesus sees this and He's not happy. And this is where people were supposed to look and find for forgiveness, for strength, for guidance. That's what the sanctuary was about. Since they didn't want God to dwell in their hearts, then God said, okay, come to me. And the sanctuary was that place of refuge where you can come. And of course, this is also the result of God's people rejecting the new covenant and the new heart experience.Everything that was happening here and not wanting this promise in their hearts but preferring what? A building, ceremonies, formalisms. Not wanting to have that daily, intimate walk with the Lord.

And so, Jesus takes out a whip of cords, it says here. Right? Now, it doesn't say that He whipped anyone just in case. But He's sovereign. And sometimes I say, Lord, if I'm doing what's not right, whip me. Beat me down. Rip my arm off. Rip my eye off. Rip my ear off. Because I prefer that to happen to me than to not go to heaven. Show me my ways, Lord. Psalms 139 verse 23 and 24. And so, I have a question. Is cleansing a disciplinary action? Yes, it is. Taking out that which is filthy, that which is dirty, or taking out that which is disrespectful, that which is rebellious, that which is dishonest, and that which is corrupt. up. Amen? It's a cleansing. The cleansing is a disciplinary action in the heart. That's why in Revelation 3:19 it says, "As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline." And so every one of us, every once in a while, need a good pow-pow with the chancleta. Now you're asking, what is a chancleta? For those not aware of what a chancleta is, it is a medieval instrument of torture with undeniable and powerful psychological powers unchallenged in history. Created men and women of great discipline and carried on for centuries.

If you're wondering, what is this brutal instrument of fear that used by Hispanic moms to put fear in the heart? The chancleta in English would be a flip-flop. And I'm sure we're not the only ones. So, Jesus Christ is giving some good pow-pows. He's taking out the hypocrites. He's taking out the corrupt. He's taking out the money launderers. He's taking all of them out. And guess what? When you study it, as they're getting kicked out, guess who's coming in? Guess who's coming back? The sick, the lepers, the needy, they're all rushing to the sanctuary because they know the Shekinah glory is back. And they want to go in the presence of God because they know that's where there's healing, comfort, and strength.

And that's what it says in chapter 16 of Desire of Ages. The courts of the temple at Jerusalem filled with the tumult of unholy traffic represented all too truly the temple of the heart, defiled by the presence of sensual passions and unholy thoughts. And in cleansing the temple from the world's buyers and sellers, Jesus announced his mission to cleanse the heart from the defilement of sin, from the earthly desires, the selfish lusts, the evil habits, and the corrupt that corrupt the soul. And this is in the church. This is not outside of the church. He's going to his people. He's going to the priest. And he's bringing what? Cleansing. Amen? Discipline. Showing. Why? And this is all the results because they were living in the old covenant mindset. If you live in the old covenant mindset, it is inevitable that you end up in the flesh, completely submerged in the flesh. That's been the history. Just read it right here. It's always been the same thing.

And it says, no man or woman can himself cast out the evil throng that has taken possession of the heart. Only Christ can cleanse the soul temple. Amen? His presence will cleanse and sanctify the soul so that it may be a holy temple unto the Lord. And pay attention, an inhabitation of God through who? Is she not talking about the new covenant experience? Yes. It's the same situation over and over and over again.

And so for three and a half years, Jesus Christ was proving, he was manifesting, he was showing who God is. The love, the patience, the mercy, the kindness, the compassion, the righteousness of God. He came to minister to the needs of those who had the greatest need, freedom from sin and the consequence and the burden. Amen? That's why it says in Matthew 5 verse 6 that what? Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what? For righteousness. Because what? They shall be filled. Amen? Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. That's the new covenant experience, my loved ones. But something happens in John 2. Go with me, please. John 2 chapter 18. And this is where this blew me away.

John 2:18. "So the Jews answered and said to him, what sign do you show to us since you do these things? And Jesus answered and said to them, destroy the temple and in three days I will what? Now when he says destroy the temple, they were like, what? It took 46 years to build this temple and you will raise [?] it up in three days? Of course. Because they were in the old covenant mindset. They were thinking of temple as what? As a structure with walls and a ceiling. But Jesus Christ is not thinking old covenant. He's thinking what? New covenant. And where's the temple then? Where's the sanctuary? Here. He's pointing to his body. He's pointing to him as the plan of salvation, as the sanctuary. Is everybody with me? Verse 21. But he was speaking of the temple of his body. My loved ones, the temple, the sanctuary is a representation of our human body. But he came to show us something else. And this is where it's mind-blowing. He came to show us, Jesus Christ, what it means to live by faith in the new covenant. He came to model to us. He came to show us that this is how a fallen human being lives in the new covenant. He came to model it to you and to me. Amen? The sanctuary is the body. And so the glory of God would dwell in fallen humans. And all the power of God would flow through experience. Through every part of the new covenant experience. And so when we look at the sanctuary, my loved ones, we're learning to live the faith, to live by faith in the sanctuary. And that's the body where the faith is manifested.

So this is us. But we're not going to look at us. We're going to look at Jesus. Okay? And I'm going to show you how this is the perfect manifestation of the righteousness of God. The gospel, the power of God to save. This is what Christ was trying to show us. The furniture, the offerings, the sacrifices, the feast, the services, the priesthood, all represent, not just the outward manifestation, but the inward, the internal motivations, the intentions, the inclinations of the converted or unconverted heart. The sanctuary is more than a place, my loved one. It's a living experience. And Jesus came to show, to model what that is and how to live by faith in that experience. Amen?

And so there are seven attitudes, seven perspectives, seven insights, seven mindsets into the mind and the character of Christ when we look in the sanctuary, pointing to who he is. And so as I go through these, I want you to evaluate and analyze them in the light of your own life. We're going to look at Jesus in the sanctuary, but I want you to think about yourself. And I'm going to be sharing with you what I think about myself. It's not pretty. You ready?

What's the first piece of furniture? Altar of sacrifice. I know Christ died on the cross. And we praise the Lord for that. That's beautiful. Amen? I preach that all the time. But what does the altar of sacrifice represent in the mind, in the character? What does it represent? We've read this before, Philippians 2:5-8, who Christ, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be to his own advantage, but on the contrary. In other words, he didn't say, "I'm God. How am I going to become a human being? Please, that's embarrassing." He didn't say that. Not like you and me said it. Say it. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage. He didn't say, "I'm divine. I don't have to get filthy with these human beings." Does that happen to us sometimes?

I've been in many churches where a bum comes in the church. Homeless, stinky. And what does everybody do? Flees. Thank God Jesus isn't like that. But he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of what? A servant. That means he was serving. Amen? He came to serve. Being made in what? Fallen nature. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on the cross. That's the altar of sacrifice represented in the character of Jesus Christ. The greatest manifestation, my loved ones, of the humility of Jesus Christ was his last days and the gospel of John, which is points to the divinity of Jesus Christ points to his humility. And so he asks, you ask, isn't it amazing that he washed the feet of the very disciple that was betraying him? He already knew it was happening and he still washed his feet. You and I would never do that. Be honest with yourself. So what does he tell us? He tells us. He tells me, Carlos, our victory is only possible with full surrender and humbling yourself. Get off your high horse and stop thinking you're better than anybody else.

We come across the next piece of furniture. Which is it? What? The laver. Now, what does the laver represent? What's inside of the laver? Water. And what does water represent? The Holy Spirit. Is the Holy Spirit involved in this? Look at it very clearly. Luke chapter 4 verse 1 and 2. Then Jesus being filled with the Holy Spirit was led by the Spirit into the wilderness and he fasted 40 days. How many of you have a bucket list? Raise your hand if you have a bucket list. Come on. I have a bucket list. Number one on my bucket list. I want to go to Israel. It's number one. Number two on my bucket list. I want a house on the mountains overseeing the beach in Puerto Rico. My wife doesn't like that idea. So I'll just settle for a house here. Nobody. No human being on their bucket list has... I want to go into the desert for 40 days fasting. Nobody. Why? Because this seems insane. Nobody in their right state of mind would do that. Except one that was filled with the Holy Spirit. Because by being filled with the Holy Spirit. That means it's not what I want. It's what God wants. It's pacing God first. It's saying God where do you want me? What do you want me to do? Who do you want me to marry? What kind of business? What do you want me to study? That's what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It's not about me. It's about him. It's not about us. It's about what does God say? The Holy Spirit. And so he tells me, Carlos, our victory is only with full surrender and not resisting the Holy Spirit but following his lead. Amen? Listen to the Spirit.

Then we have the showbread. What characteristic does the showbread represent? Luke chapter 4 verse 4. It is written, man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God. How many words? Every. You see, our problem is that we live by some words of God. What's convenient in the moment, what we think is comfortable, because when the Bible says, love your enemy, I don't know about that one. When the Bible says, go out and search for the lost, I like it here. It's comfortable. Today you're forgiven because you're here in church.

It says in John 5:39, Jesus says, "You search the scriptures for in it you think that they have eternal life, but these are the issues which they testify of me." The word in English doesn't grab the meaning of the word "search." Yes, search, investigate, it's part of it, but in Spanish they use the word "escudriñar." And that word is used when you're talking about a dog trying to get the bone that he buried. When you're talking about a squirrel trying to find the acorn he hid. Estar, coming, feasting on the word of God, desiring to spend time. Jesus is escudriñó the Torah, the Psalms, the prophets, seeking what was the plan, what was the purpose of God for his life. Going here and said, "Lord, God, Father, what do you want me to do? Show me, Father, guide me, Father." And so he tells me, "Carlos, our victory is only with full and complete surrender and feasting on getting to know who I am. Delighting in wanting to know who God is. To have an understanding of the righteousness of God. It's an everlasting study, the righteousness of God." That's what he's saying.

Then you come to the incense. What's in the incense? John 17, go with me, please. Quickly, I have two prophetic minutes. John 17, everybody there? It says, this is what the incense meant in the character and the mind of Christ. He spoke these words lifted up by his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Come, glorify your Son that your Son also may glorify you. And as you have given authority over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to it as many as you have given. And this is the eternal life, Father, that they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." It's about what? It's not about us. It's about God. 95% of our prayers are about us. Pastor Pavel Goya did a study one time. He recorded all of the prayers in his church. And he found out that 95% of them were about us, self-centered Christianity, old covenant experience. God is wanting to what? No, break that mold. Get out of that mold. And so God tells me, "Our victory, Carlos, is only with full surrender and seeking the counsel and guidance of God in all your ways, in all your plans, in all your struggles, in all your works, in all the good times. It's always constantly, consistently surrendering to God and saying, 'God, what do you want me to do?'"

And then you have the candlestick. And what does the candlestick represent in the mind or in the character of Jesus Christ, my loved ones? It says, Matthew 4:23-24. And Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, healing, what? All kinds of sicknesses and all kinds of diseases among the people. Then his fame went throughout all Syria and they brought to him how many? All sick people. And who were afflicted with various diseases and torments. And those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, paralytics, and he healed them all. He received everyone. And not only did he receive it, he went out searching for them. He did not stay in the sanctuary and waiting for people to show up, even though they would have. He went searching. He went looking. He went searching for those that he needed to minister. And that's why it says in Matthew 9:8, that service, what did it do? When the multitude saw it, they marveled and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. Amen? And that's my loved ones. So what does he tell us? Carlos, our victory is only with full surrender and emptying of self. And how do I empty myself so that I can be filled with the Holy Spirit? It's by going to serve others with compassion and to minister to their needs. That's why Jesus says, "I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you.

And then we go to the ark. Right? Do we go to the ark? No. We go to the veil. And what does the veil represent? Hebrews 10:20, "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter into the Most Holy by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us through the veil, that is His flesh." The veil represents the flesh, the body of Jesus Christ. And so when that veil ripped, that means, no more separation between humanity and divinity. When Christ died, that separation was put apart. And now humanity is reconciled back into the presence of God through Jesus Christ. Amen. And that's why it says in Romans 5:1, "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Amen? Justification is not just a declarative statement. Justification is an experience. It's ongoing in that relationship with God. And so that, the veil ripping, really in the end represents what? The veil is the flesh of Jesus. And it says in Romans 8:3, "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh. God did by sending a mission, his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin and he condemned sin in the flesh." Amen?

He came to show us, you can live a righteous life. You can live a victorious life. And that's why it says in Romans 8:4, that the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh or the old covenant, but walk according to the spirit and the new covenant. Amen? And so it's showing us, Jesus came to model and show us, that the victory over the fallen nature is possible, accessible, and expected. And he says, he tells us, our victory is Carlos, is only when we completely surrender, and stop trying to win the battle over self, and start learning to live in the faith of Jesus Christ. And that's the life of Jesus Christ, my loved ones. What about the most holy place? That's my next presentation. I have a question. The sanctuary, does it prove, through the life of Jesus Christ, that we can live the life of Jesus? If we have the mind of Christ, if we have the character of Christ, if we have the faith of Christ, we can live his righteous life too. And that's the gospel. The just shall live by faith. Does anybody here tonight say, I want to live the faith of Jesus Christ. I wanted to learn to live in the new covenant. Stand up. Stand up if you say, I want to live the faith of Jesus Christ. I want to learn what it means to live in the new covenant. Father, we thank you. Because the sanctuary teaches us so many lessons. And today through the life, it taught us the attitude, the mindset of Jesus. And what it means to live in the new covenant. What it means to live by faith, in your promises. And so we ask you, Father, that you help us so that we can live that same faith that Jesus lived. Faith not in himself, not in his flesh but faith in your promises, in your righteousness and your ways. We thank you Father for this blessing and we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Congregants: Amen.

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