Sermon notes from March 29, 2009, Salem Baptist Church of Chicago
Rev. James Meeks, Salem Baptist Church of Chicago
Scripture: Hebrews 9
“How Do We Enter the Presence of the Lord?”
The tabernacle was divided into three parts:
- the outer court, the holy place and the holy of holies.
It was in the third part where the presence of God rested.
- You just didn’t walk in the door and automatically entered the presence of God.
- God’s presence and his existence just doesn’t hang around the doorway.
There is something called a brazen altar. They all had to stop by it first. If we come to church and never get our business straight at the outset, we will never make it pass the outer court.
- the brazen altar was the largest piece of furniture in the tabernacle. It was made of wood and covered with brass.
- this altar of wood was so shiny you could see your reflection in the glass.
- the brazen altar is where sin is confessed.
- sin always indicates something has got to die. That’s why the priest sacrificed the lamb.
- Then the priest would sprinkle the blood on the altar so that person’s sins would be covered by the blood.
- we cannot approach the presence of God if we have not confessed any sins. A lot of us come to church and have never been on our knees.
- One main weakness in our service today is that we don’t set aside time for repentance, to confess our sins and to ask God to forgive our sins.
- Jesus said to think it is just as bad as doing it.
- Our sins must be transferred somewhere or else we will never see Him.
- if you are trying to get in the presence of God, you need to name those things that you should confess.
- Deliverance always starts by admitting that you’re lost. The sooner you admit that you don’t know yu can get some help.
- if we miss the brazen altar and confession in Jesus’ name, we miss the presence of God.
- if we miss washing, we miss worshipping.
- the worshippers also had to pass the brazen laver, which was next to the brazen altar.
- Worship is always a time to see yourself.
- you could also see yourself in the laver.
James 1:23; Ephesians 5:25;
- just like the priest cleaned himself, we have to come to church and clean ourselves.
- Satan is trying to build a kingdom on earth. And you are always exposed to filth.
- Television is a defiled instrument. Whether you are looking to be exposed to sexually explicit stuff or not, it’s all around. We are defiled everywhere we turn around.
- we come to church so we can hear the Word.
- the more Word the church has, the cleaner its members can be.
- It could be that we try to enter the presence of the Lord too soon.
- David tells us how to enter the presence of the Lord. “Make a joyful noise.” “Enter his gates with thanksgiving.”
