Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday evening, July 25, 2004, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.
THE ALTAR REQUIRED BY THE LAW
By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia
Scripture Reading: Exodus 20:1-26
Text: Exodus 20:24
Exodus 20:24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
Introduction: In this chapter we have recorded the giving of the law, the 10 commandments. Accompanying the reading of the commandments, there was a horrible display of the judgment and power of God — thunderings, lightnings, the noise of a trumpet, and the mountain smoking. This caused the people to back away.
Exodus 20:18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
This reminds us that the law does not bring people to God; it merely exposes their sin and shows their inadequacy. The law brings a curse and pronounces a death penalty upon sin:
Exodus 20:19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
The law was a test for man. Moses was 40 days in the mount getting the law. Forty is associated in scripture with testing, probation, and preparation.
Exodus 20:20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
Then God warned the people through Moses not to make idols but to make an altar.
Tonight I want you to know that I believe the altar here is a picture of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The law required absolute righteousness and obedience, which no one has ever performed. Therefore, there had to be sacrifices.
Jesus is our sacrifice. I believe this is one of the places referred to by our Lord when He said:
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Those scriptures were specifically Genesis through Deuteronomy, the first five books of the Bible, for the Lord further stated:
John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
I want to point out four great truths about our Lord and the altar from our scripture reading in Exodus this evening:
I. THE PREPARATION OF THE ALTAR
Exodus 20:24-25 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. 25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
An altar of EARTH …
Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Psalms 85:11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
In this earthen altar we are reminded:
A. Of the man
1. Of the earth, according to the flesh
2. Phil. 2:5-11
B. Of the miracle
1. Of the virgin birth
C. Of the mystery
1. Of the incarnation
2. God and man as one (1 Timothy 3:16)
II. THE PURPOSE OF THE ALTAR
Exodus 20:24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
Jesus, our sacrifice, or altar
A. Is a reminder of sin
B. Is a remedy for sin
1. THE remedy
2. His blood
C. Is the remover of sin
1. John 1:29
III. THE POLLUTION OF THE ALTAR
Exodus 20:25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
Man will pollute, if he is allowed,
A. The message of salvation (Galatians 1:6-9)
B. The method of salvation (Romans 11:6)
C. The meaning of salvation
1. Temporary versus eternal life and salvation
2. No hell? Jehovah’s False Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists
IV. THE POSITION OF THE ALTAR
Exodus 20:26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
The ground-level position reminds us of
A. The iniquity of man
1. Romans 3:23
2. The nakedness of Adam
B. The inability of man
1. Romans 6:23
2. Can’t climb to heaven
C. The invitation to heaven
1. God came to where you are!
2. All come the same way!
3. Revelation 22:17
4. The ground is level at the foot of the cross
|
Michael D. O’Neal (Proverbs 11:30), Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church |