Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves

Welcome to Tribe’s podcast. Hey. We just wanna say thank you for making this message a part of your week. Our prayer is that these messages will inspire you to make the name of Jesus famous in your life and to the uttermost bounds of the earth. If you’re ever in Jackson Hole, we’d love for you to visit our Tribe fam in person.

To learn more about us, you can find us online or at Facebook by searching tribejh.com. Good. Very good. Are they good? Yes.

I always feel like there’s I take away more from Joyce. Like like, oh, this right here is so good. From Joyce show you up too bad. Right. Then I do from my own.

Why couldn’t I have said it like that? Because you’re not a woman. Alright. We look forward to you too, Brian. Okay.

Thank you. Mom and dad. Play. Yes. Yes.

You need you need you need a, what a man brings and what a woman brings. Not the joy in our marriage. I’m married. That could be the mom’s voice and a dad’s voice. And we have such a great deep ministry bench here.

And today’s definitely gonna be a a man’s message, but it’s for women also. It’s not, like, directed towards men, but it’s a guided message. And I want to pre congratulate you on being here for today’s message because I’ve thought a lot about it. It’s gonna be the beginning of a conversation, several conversations that we’re gonna have. And I would suggest to you that the conversations that we’re gonna have are not they’re not elementary level.

My goal is for you to feel loved and challenged through these messages. And so we’re gonna we’re gonna get right into the series of conversations that we’re gonna have. It came from, something that I said just, a few a little while ago. Just put that for there you go. It came from, something that I said as part of a message, like, some time ago, and it really stuck with me.

And as part of the introduction let’s go ahead and turn there to Matthew chapter 12. This is not going to be our main text this morning, but it’ll be a good starting place. Matthew chapter 12. And while you’re turning or waiting for that page to load, let me just read it. And you’ll be like, oh, yeah.

I think you’ll you’ll be like, okay. This is, this is where you were. Matthew chapter 12. I’m gonna read just two verses, verse twelve and fourteen. And Jesus is speaking, and he says this.

How much more valuable is a person than a sheep? Yes. The law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath. Then he said to the man, hold out your hand. So the man held out his hand and it was restored just like the other one.

Pause right there. We’ll finish the sentence in a moment. So if you remember, we were talking about this and we were talking about how something about being in the presence and being with and being around and doing life and doing relationship with Jesus produces freedom. Because what had just happened? What had just happened was Jesus was walking through the grain field.

Remember the disciples were picking, wheat off the stock, rolling it in their hands, eating the grain. The Pharisees freaked out. You can’t do that on the Sabbath. That’s work on the Sabbath. Then Jesus is like, alright.

Let’s downshift. Let me explain this to you. And then he talked about the Sabbath, that that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. And when we spend time in close relationship with Jesus, he sets us free from religious dogma and these man made rules and traditions. And then he’s like, you know what?

I can tell that you’re not getting it, Pharisees. Let’s go to church. We’re calling it church meeting. So then he goes into the synagogue. He explains again.

And then he sees a man with a withered hand and this is on the Sabbath. He heals the man. So he’s taught them. His words are life. He’s the Pharisees have seen what the disciples are doing.

They’ve literally seen the miracle right in front of their eyes. Tradition says that the man was a worker of stone. I don’t know how they get this tradition. It’s not in the text. We don’t know what he did for a living.

But tradition says that he was a worker with stone and he had some sort of nerve damage so that as this ailment progressed, that his his stone carving got, like, less and then he couldn’t have a he couldn’t work and then now he’s destitute and out of work. This miracle happens and he’s able to create once again. But we then get to the last sentence in verse 14. Then the Pharisees called the meeting to plot how to kill Jesus. Wow.

That escalated quickly. We talked about why that response was from the Pharisees. What did he do that was so bad that warranted these I would call them reasonable men. They weren’t like like in a movie. They weren’t caricatures of just like violent evil plotting scheming men like how come they are.

They they were just they were human. But something with that interaction and that encounter with Jesus caused murderous desires to rise up within them. And we talked a little bit about why is that. And so today, as the beginning of a series of conversations we’re gonna have, I would like to open up the conversation to hear from you. What are your thoughts or questions, comments or connections that you might have about the why?

Why are these pharisees driven or motivated to begin discussing how do we kill this guy? Why was their reaction so vehement? What are your thoughts on that? We touched on it a little bit. Yes.

I love it. So we have a mic that will pass to you. And It’s weird. In our in our little cozy living room setting, I could hear you just fine. But we have a lot of families that are traveling all the time here in Jackson, a lot of families that watch the livestream.

And so when we get to hear your question, comment, or connection in the mic, then all of our livestream families get to, like, join in. So what do you got? What are your thoughts? Okay. So hearing it and just pondering on it a little bit, I think the human ego was hurt when traditions were questioned.

And I think the battle was with our flesh. So when Jesus was kind of putting the fire to the flesh a little bit, I think, the ego was so hurt that it created such monstrous ideas of of plotting Jesus to death. So good. Well said. Yeah.

With the Pharisees having been so deeply invested in the Mosaic law, it was, in their perspective, the way that people reached God. And so they were defending what they saw as connection with the Lord Wow. With how it was that was. So I think that you are totally right about the the, like, the deep root. But I also think that you are right with a there is a significant layer there of almost like, it was self righteous, but some righteous indignation trying to defend the Lord in their Jewish tradition as an established way of having right relationship with him.

And the letter of the law being so important in that path to them. Yeah. So here’s here’s what’s great to jump a little bit ahead, but we’re gonna be talking about the law in this series of conversations through the book of Leviticus. So if you’re brand new to church, you can jump right into the book of Leviticus. You’ll you’ll love that one.

Mhmm. My thought is that, we fight not against flesh and blood, and I feel like the spiritual darkness, with wickedness, powers, principalities recognized the miracle, recognized messiah from the very beginning. And they’re like, oh, no. They gotta snuff this out right away. So it was just like, here goes the battle.

We start now. You know? Another dimension. Another dimension. Another dimension.

Of contributing factors that resulted in that there was there was some demonic spiritual forces at play. That the the demonic forces trying to shut down the arrival of the Messiah prophesied all the way back in Genesis chapter three, the head the skull crusher will come someday. And they’re like, this is that dude. We gotta stop him. I don’t wanna like it.

Was it was that a hand? Yeah. Go ahead, Brian. Come on. It, reminds me of that verse where it says Yeah.

I think it’s in Romans eight where it says the carnal mind is hostile, to god and cannot submit to his law. Oh, I see. And when I think about I just think that that’s a perfect instance of that, and that these guys were very knowledgeable of the law and know all the right things to do still can’t humble themselves to, just believe in Jesus and do what is right. That verse is so valuable. Renee’s gonna give it.

Renee? I’m just Let’s let’s find it and then read it. Say it again. The Carmelite is hostile to God. Yeah.

Yeah. Romans eight seven. What? What is it? Romans eight seven.

Okay. Guys. Here comes the mic, and then let’s read it because this is really good. Thank you, Brian. It’s so good.

Love that connection. Romans eight seven says the mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm that of the flesh cannot please cannot. Woah.

And that’s what was so threatening to them because of what Chris said That they were like, no no no. We’re good. We have right standing with the law because we are following the law. So we’re going to spend a couple of weeks bouncing between the Old Testament and the New Testament And we’re going to look, compare, and contrast, if you will. A book in verses that come from a letter that Paul wrote to the church in Galatia, what if, like, literally the most law ish law e, lawified book of the Old Testament Leviticus.

Let’s look at Galatians. So this is gonna be our, like, our our home text, at least for this week and maybe a few more weeks. Galatians chapter two. And would somebody please read verses 15 through 21? You can read all of it in one shot, or you can split it up.

We who are Jews by birth and not gentile sinners know that a man is not justified by by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we too have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law because by observing the law, no one will be justified. If while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners. Does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not.

If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a law breaker. Mhmm. For though the law for through the law, I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

I have not set aside the grace of God. For righteousness could be gained through the law. Christ died for nothing. Oh, there’s so much to unpack there. But here’s the I often think in movie clips.

And so in just a moment, I wanna share a movie clip with you. But I think it was in the eighties, Mel Gibson, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Do do anybody remember that movie? Okay. Yeah.

Yeah. And it’s firmly cemented deep in my mind. Tina Turner. Yes. Yeah.

Okay. Okay. Yes. Yes. And so it’s this post apocalyptic movie where, like, water and gasoline are, like, the two most precious commodities in, like, the world, and you have these roving gangs committing atrocities and violence in a war for gasoline and for water.

But in this particular rendition of Mad Max, they settle all of their disputes in this place called the Thunderdome. The Thunderdome. And so everybody gathers to watch these two the these two men settle their disputes. And the idea is that two men enter the Thunderdome and then it becomes a fight in it. Yeah.

But only one man leaves alive. Or I’ll just show you the the clip. Awesome. Yep. Crank it way up, please.

Go. Go. Go. Go, please. The last thing goes a bad seat in place.

Nope. Not a bad seat in place. Anybody anybody grow up with, a schoolyard playground that had that, like, dome jumbo gym that was like a miniature version of the family? Put people in it and say to me. I think I think we did.

I think we I think we did. So, I I have for the next couple of weeks, we’re gonna bounce back and forth between the New Testament and everyone’s favorite book, Leviticus. And with this series of conversations, I have two goals. My first goal it’s it’s not up on the screen. But my first goal is I want you to see and encounter the beautify the beautiful and terrifying experience of entering the combat arena with Jesus.

Mhmm. Two men enter. One man leaves. And I want you to see the beauty of the book of Leviticus and the incredible lengths that God goes through to have relationship with us. This is not a four week milquetoast series on, like, tips and tricks for godly parenting.

Although the principles and things in here, you all it can apply. This is not this is not four weeks on, like, having godly finances. But you can take what we talk about here and apply it to every aspect of your life. What we’re gonna talk about, is not it’s not Christianity light as the lord has been challenging me on these things. There’s literally death involved and the opportunity to surrender my life in the arena of combat, wrestling it out.

But what’s on the other side of the arena and seeing that struggle of life and death as god first introduced it to mankind through the Mosaic law and the sacrificial system. That’s a lot. It’s an audacious goal. But together, I think we can cover some great ground here and grow in our relationship with the Lord. Right?

Mhmm. Alright. With that in mind, we’ve read from the book of Galatians. Let’s now introduce ourselves to the book of Leviticus. Hang the left and let’s go to Leviticus chapter one.

We’re not gonna go, like, all the way through the book. Don’t worry. Mhmm. I’ll let you read about, like, skin disease Mold. Mold, reproductive bodily fluids, all you can read those It’s all on your own.

Leviticus chapter one. And before I read Leviticus, we’re gonna read together just a few verses from Leviticus chapter one. But let me give you a little bit of background by reading to you from Exodus chapter 40 verse 34 through the end. So here’s what’s happened in the book of Exodus. It is the chronicle.

It is the story of God hearing the cry of his people, Israel, in captivity in Egypt in their dramatic, miraculous rescue from slavery, being led out of Egypt through the Red Sea. And now here they are in the wilderness at the base of Mount Sinai today. If you looked on the map, it would be known as Jabal Al Luz. That’s the name of the mountain in Saudi Arabia, and they’re camped at the base. We know the story of Moses going up onto the mountain receiving the law.

We think most often of the 10 commandments, and you’re right. But there’s also a lot of instructions that god gives Moses that we have recorded here about, I want you, Moses, and Israel to carry my presence with you. And here are the instructions for you to have right relationship with me and for you to be able to host my presence. And then he gives Moses the instructions for the tabernacle. That’s a really churchy word.

The tent of meeting, that’s another really churchy word. But think of it as it really was a tent. And this is God’s place where he would live and dwell on earth with the Israelites and carry physically and spiritually his presence. So God gives Moses all of these instructions. Moses tells the people.

The people construct a tabernacle, a tent, a dwelling place for the lord’s presence to dwell. And then at the end of the book of Exodus, we have these words in chapter in verse 34 of chapter 40. Then the cloud covered the tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could no longer enter the tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Now whenever the cloud lifted from the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey following it.

But if the cloud did not rise, they remained where they were until it lifted. The cloud of the Lord hovered over the tabernacle during the day, and at night, fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel. That’s really cool. What does your translation say? Mine in the NLT says family.

I like that. A million people, one family. Oh, I like family. What what does your translation say? Leviticus what now?

This is Exodus. We were in Exodus. I I rewind the tape just a little bit to give us some runway. Exodus chapter 48 and I don’t know how it’s slow. No.

That’s okay. It’s okay. For me to touch you? This just says all the Israelites. All the Israelites.

Alright. Alright. So mine says glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all of their journeys. So that gives you a little bit of background.

The tabernacle is constructed. Now as we get into the book of Leviticus, let’s read verses one through 17. And whoever has, might just read a few verses. You can hand it off. Read a few verses and then somebody else can.

Leviticus chapter one, verse one through 17. The Lord called to Moses from the tabernacle and said to him, give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you present the animal animal as an offering to the lord, you may take it from your herd of cattle or your flock of sheep and goats. If the animal you present as a burnt offering is from the herd, it must be male with no defects. Bring it to the entrance of the tabernacle so you may be accepted by the Lord.

Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and the Lord will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with him. Then slaughter the young bull in the Lord’s presence in Aaron’s sons. The priest will present the animal’s blood by splattering it against all sides of the altar that stands at the entrance to the tabernacle. Then the skin, the animal then skin the animal and cut it to pieces. The sons of Aaron, the priest, will build a wood fire on the altar.

They will arrange the pieces of the offering, including the head and fat, on the wood burning on the altar. But the internal organs and the legs must first be washed with water. Then the priest will burn the entire sacrifice on the altar as a burnt offering. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the lord. We’re gonna continue reading, but if you were to make a bullet point list of all of the things that needed to happen just to get us to the first nine verses Yeah.

Man, I’ve already gone cross eyed. Like, what? I can’t. Mhmm. The whole book of this, this is like this this book is like the graveyard of all of the people that have the New Year’s resolution of reading a Bible in a year.

They get to this point in, like, February or March, whatever they are, and they’re like, I have his pants. So let’s keep going. And we persevere. Ernest Shackleton, their family motto is by endurance, we conquer. You want Christmas to be?

Yeah. Or or you can hand it off. We’re gonna get all the way to chapter 17 today, Stella. Phil. Yeah?

Verse 17. Okay. Starting at ten. Right? Yes.

Mhmm. Yeah. If the animal you present as a burnt offering is from the flock, it may be either a sheep or a goat, but it must be male with no defects. Slaughter the animal on the north side in the Lord’s presence, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, will splatter its blood against all sides of the altar. Then cut the animal in pieces, and the priest will arrange the pieces of the offering, including the head and fat, on the wood burning part of the altar.

But the internal organs and the legs must first be washed with water, then the priest will burn the entire sacrifice on the altar as a burnt offering. It is a special gift and a pleasing aroma to the lord. If you present a bird as a burnt offering to the lord, choose either a turtle dove or a young pigeon. The priest will take the bird to the altar, ring off its head, and burn it on the altar. If you are new to Christianity, this would be such a weird first day.

If this is your first day ever in church Raise your hand if we can. You and Amy Scott, those thunder don’t flip. Alright? That makes it weird. Oh, yeah.

That’s true. The priest will take the bird to the al altar, root on its head, and burn it on the altar. But first, it must drain its blood against the side of the altar. The priest must also remove the crop and the feathers and throw them into the ashes on the east side of the altar. Then, grasping the bird by its wings, the priest will tear the bird open but without tearing it apart.

Then he will burn it as a burnt offering on the wood burning on the altar. It is a special gift and a pleasing aroma to the lord. Quick question. Go. Hand them.

Oh. I was gonna say something real quick. Yeah. Yes. Yes.

So I love the book of Leviticus. You keep dogging on it and maybe you speak for all the people. But I love it because it speaks of God’s order. Mhmm. And he’s so precise.

And it and it would be weird if you read that for the first time and you’re like, what? Are we miss Terry? But there’s and I’m sure this is what we’re gonna talk about, but there’s purpose in all of it and there’s symbolism in all of it and the beauty of even like sprinkling blood, which seems weird, is so beautiful because it’s connected to the cross. So I love it that we’re here. Yes.

And I’ll comment on what you just said in a moment. Okay. My question is the herds being blemished as far as choosing an unblemished sacrifice, was animals being blemished and not being perfect a part of the original sin? Is that the reason that they’re they’re not all perfect, I guess you could say? Take another take another run at your question.

I’m not quite picking up what you’re putting down, but I think it’s a really good question. So there were what caused that? Was that the original sin, or was that just the way things Sure. Kind of played out? Yeah.

That’s great. So the Bible says that the rage of man extends to the heavens. And what that means and implies and Paul expounds on in the New Testament is that through one man’s sin, sin entered and permeated the world. The Bible says that creation itself groans for redemption from the son of god. And those several verses that just bubbled up tell us that sin is what has caused this world to be less than perfect even expressed through the DNA and mutations, non beneficial mutations of livestock.

Makes perfect sense. I’ve just never thought about it. Yay. This series of conversations is working. So I have this on the screen because now I’m going to look at Amanda considering what she just said.

And listen to this. Leviticus is a divine blueprint order for holiness, showing Israel how to create a sacred environment where god can dwell among his people. And if any of you are fans of the Bible project, those those guys from, like, the West Coast Seattle, they they put up the little videos. Many times, I feel like that’s about as deep a theology as I can handle as a three minute video with motion graphics. Like, I could get that.

But they say that the Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus. Those were the two things that you just said in in your comments on Leviticus. And so if we read the book of Leviticus as a treasure hunt for two things. Number one, seeing or knowing, keeping in mind that the Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus, number one. And number two, that Leviticus is a divine blueprint for holiness showing Israel how to create a sacred environment where God can dwell among his people.

We’re like, okay. I think maybe I can I can try to wade into the book of Leviticus? Joy. Speaking of the Bible project, at the end of Exodus, when they go through the, like, an overview of the book, they have what you just read. Moses, the temple has been built, and Moses is standing outside the temple and can’t get in because now we need Leviticus, like you’re just saying now, is this blueprint for holiness where he’s laying out all the different steps that can make it so that Moses and the people can dwell or can go into God’s presence.

Whereas before, they weren’t able he wasn’t able to until they went through these steps. Yes. Okay. You want a trick question? Go.

Always. Was there ever after the the tabernacle was constructed, the tent, was there ever a time when just anyone could go in? No. I don’t think so. I I think I if I remember specifically at the end of Leviticus, Moses goes in.

And so, like, you can see that there’s a there’s a contrast between those two. But, to the outer courts, yes. I think anyone can go in. Not the holy of holies. Hit me with a magic answer.

So it would it would take a a little bit of digging for me. We there’s no text that says, and now anyone may enter. But it says that oh. Oh. Okay.

We can Google this. We can Google this. It’s bubbling up a fragment. The tabernacle, the tent of meeting the tent of meeting was set up just outside the camp. Mhmm.

See, these are some cute words to look up on your Google. Are you The dental meeting was set up just outside the camp and people could go there to inquire of the Lord. Are you wanna ask Yes. Let’s look it up. Yes.

Let’s look it up. Way too long to Google. Guess you’re being Googled. People watched. Like, they didn’t all just go in there.

But then when Moses would go to inquire of the Lord, the cloud would come down. Yeah. And everybody would stand at the end of their tent. But there is textual a strong textual suggestion that prior to Leviticus, anybody could go in the tent and inquire of the Lord. Then there was the golden kettle thing and, like, switch it Good question.

Was there a line? Oh, yeah. I really do. You are maybe in some, this is one thing. It’s just Bible project.

It’s white with a little blue, like, text thingy. Any question or thing, you can get that app. It’s free. And then any question you have on the bible, it’ll give you a three minute video, like an animated video. It’s amazing.

Yeah. It’s amazing. Bob’s project is is great. Like with anything, you gotta eat the meat and spit out the bones. But listen.

So there was there was a period where it would seem as if anybody could go in to inquire of the Lord. And then God’s like, oh, you’re not treating me with with holiness. And we need to you’re you’re wearing your shoes inside the house, tracking the mud on my nice carpet that I need to be treated with respect. Was his presence there? His presence led him his presence led him on the Exodus.

The the cloud the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud. So it’s it’s interesting to to dig into and consider. So for a life giving relationship with god, something has to die. And if you don’t like that, when you get to be the boss of your own planet, you can set it up however you want. And if you believe that, you’re Morning.

And you’re in the wrong church. And or God brought you to this church so that you can know the truth and the truth will set you free. This is the way the God of the bible operates. The bible says that he dwells in unapproachable light. The bible tells us in the book of Isaiah that my ways are higher than your ways.

My thoughts are higher than your thoughts. His standard, because he is absolutely perfect, his standard is absolute perfection. No flaw, blemish, nothing. Jesus says, be holy as I am holy. They give out, like, strands of rope for you to tie onto your leg just in case they can drag you out.

Mhmm. Literally on the hem of the garment of the high priest that was allowed to go into the temple once a year on the day of atonement had little jingle bells. Mhmm. And this is not in the bible, but it is, written by the author Josephus who was a contemporary of Jesus as a historian, described how the high priest would have to tie a rope around his ankle so that if he, not having made the proper sacrifices for himself to atone for his own sin, when he went in to sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat, the atonement, the lid of the ark, if he didn’t get it all right and he went in there, God’s holiness would break out and kill him. And now he had a dead body in there.

How are you gonna and so they were to pull him out. So this was the v VIP section, not the general admission. Yeah. So watch yourself back there in the VIP section. Are you good?

Yes, Renee. Can we circle back to that scripture you were talking about about the people going into the tent? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

You found it. Yeah. Yeah. Deuteronomy, I’m guessing First of all Or Exodus. We are going through the by one year like we always do every year.

Oh, well. Literally just finished Exodus, and I literally just said, oh, get ready. We’re gonna go through Leviticus. So We’re in the video. But we’re on, like, a three year situation.

Read the Bible and well, hopefully, Sorry, Lord. It’s your word. Sorry. There’s good things through all of it. This is the tent of the meeting that you’re talking about that was built outside of the camp.

And it’s in Exodus 33 Mhmm. Verses seven through 11. So I wasn’t just making it up? You weren’t making it up. That was confirmed.

Bad check real time. So now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away calling it the tent of meeting. Anyone inquiring of anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances of their tents watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses.

Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped each at the entrance to their tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young age, Joshua, son of Nun, did not leave the tent. Oh, he would linger. He would linger.

So how about that, Joy? That’s great. Throw throw that out at your next Alanis. Like, could anybody go into the tent of meetings? That’s a great question.

Like, no. And then you say, wrong. You could. I do have a footnote that says the 10 of meeting is different from the taverns. Mhmm.

Yep. Sure. Yep. Let’s let’s be clear. Let’s be clear on that.

Okay. You wanna split? We can both be right. I’ll allow it. Okay.

Listen. For this is something that you need to know. If you are investigating the claims of the God of the Bible and his one and only son Jesus, if you are dating Jesus, like, you know, we hang out together once a week. If you have gotten married to Jesus and you are in a life giving, eternal salvation, covenant relationship with Jesus, no matter where you are on your journey, you need to know this about the God of the bible that you probably haven’t heard on popular TV evangelists say and you don’t hear it on K LOVE. For a life giving, life giving relationship with God, something has to die.

Two men enter. One man leaves. In the book of Leviticus, a man and an animal enter. The animal dies. The man gets to leave.

Two men enter. Two people. One man leaves. Something has to die. Another quick question.

Yes. In verse seven, at the end or towards the end, it says in my, ESV. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. It does not talk about necessarily at this time, anyway, someone going in and especially someone not of the priesthood. Am I am am I reading that correctly?

We’d need we’d need to, like, look up somebody’s livestream historically to to to see what they posted. Well, should I plant, oh, we well, they weren’t really planting anything as they were wandering through the wilderness. You know, should I should I focus on sheep or goats this season? I better go inquire of the Lord, and I’m gonna film this, so that everybody can see. Like, you know, we don’t know.

Does why would you go to the the temple, like, the compound, like, the the kind of enclosure area where the tent of meeting was? Why would you go there and then stand out? It would be as if a person went to church, but they just, like, stood out here in the parking lot. Like, what what are you doing? They come on in.

And so I think it is safe and reasonable to assume from the sentence structure of the text that they went right on in? I would only have to see one person dragged out not to to go inside. I’m just I’m just saying. I’m very liberal. Right.

Right. No. That I I like that. It’s called the fear of the Lord. Isaac, do you have something?

Leo, would you take that mic back there to ISOC? What’s the what’s the tabernacle? That’s the fear of the Lord. Yes. I interpret that as they stood outside and Moses would they would come out.

Moses would come out and they would inquire to Moses. Moses would go back into the tent and then the pillar would come down. And God would say, tell Joe Schmo Mhmm. No or yes or he has to do this to I can visualize that. Alright.

And I’m just just like And I think I think everyone stood outside their tent because they it was almost a, like, oh my gosh. What’s gonna happen? What’s gonna happen? Like, they’d be standing outside to see what would happen to Joe Shmuel. Like the Thunderdome?

Yes. Oh, well. So I love for they all pray here. I love for us at tribe, not everyone may be comfortable with that in this room or maybe in the church that you came from. But here, in this tribe fam, I welcome your sanctified creative imagination because you probably are thinking more about the tent of meeting and Moses and the fear of the Lord and death than than perhaps you ever have.

What was that actually like? So I I love it. And I know some of you who are like, I want the preacher to just tell me. That’s not necessarily how we roll here. I want you to investigate and to dig and to consider and to pray and ask the Lord.

You go into the tent of meeting and inquire of the Lord for yourself. Yes, sir. This is just for clarity. Was the tenth of meeting absent of the ark of covenant? Oh, that’s a good so now you’re thinking.

You’re trying to build a mental picture. Tabernacle of the ark of covenant where they had to do sacrifices and things like that to access that. Right? Mhmm. But it was the the tent of meeting didn’t quite have the ark of covenant yet, which was what Moses came down, the tablets.

So I think if we were to look back at the book of, Exodus, the what we would what we would see linear unfolding with the story is nation of Israel comes to the base of Mount Sinai, which is a beautiful picture of a marriage proposal and the acceptance of a covenant. A cloud comes over like a hoopla, a marriage canopy. The people, see the terrible presence awe inspiring, shaking your boots, terrible, not not Shiva or Vishnu, but awe inspiring presence of the Lord. And they stand at their tents and they say, Moses, you go up, hear from the Lord, and we’ll do everything he says. Moses goes up.

The tablets are written. Moses comes down. They see the people. He’s been up on the mountain for forty days. They get way off into the weeds.

Moses is like, that’s it, Snaps the tablets. He has to discipline the nation of Israel. Then he’s like, now if I have to come back down here again, goes back up on the mountain. This time, God makes Moses write it. I wrote it the first time.

The second time, you’re writing it dude. So he spends another period of time up on the mountain in the presence of the Lord. He writes down a lot. God gives him these instructions. He comes back down with the tablets And then if my timeline of the book of Exodus is correct, he tells them to make a an ark or a chest out of acacia wood, overlay it with gold, have two cherubim spiritual beings that are that form the atonement, and then there is the construction of a a dwelling place for him.

So I’ve this is probably a very long winded answer. Well, of course, time goes. That’s towards the end or the latter part of them being at the It’s the latter part of them being at the base of Mount Sinai in the very beginning of their forty year wandering. So if my timeline is correct and and dig in there for yourselves, The ark of the covenant has been constructed. It is in the tent of meeting, but none of the other articles that he gives them instructions for, the labor, the basin Stuff.

The air. So so in the ark Mhmm. In the ark is the the 10 commandments, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s staff that buds. Mhmm. That’s inattentive meeting, but then there are also instructions for constructing other things like barbecue tongs and labor and fashions and other things like that that get added to what then becomes the tabernacle.

Right. Does that mean they had to transport your with them? Yes. Yes. Yeah.

Yeah. I’m just trying to make it all make sense. I I love that you’re trying to construct a mental picture. Go for it. Alright.

Okay. It feels kind of on topic now that we’ve gone in a different direction. Oh, yeah. Whenever we were Bring us back. When we first read chapter one of Leviticus and then with your talk about something has to die and then a sacred environment, it just made me think about if I send back then, what it would cost.

And now whenever I sin, I find myself God forgive me. And then, like, we move on so fast and just actually thinking about, like, no. Like, our sin is serious. And, like, it caused something. And then even our talk about how careful of precise we had to be to be in God’s presence.

Like, all these little details, like, we don’t even have to think about it anymore because of Jesus. Right. So just how lucky we are, but also how now if we’re not careful, it can be watered down Mhmm. Like, in our minds because we don’t take it as seriously. What a what a beautiful summary of the entire book of Galatians, which is what Paul is driving at.

Let’s go to Galatians chapter two verse 20. We’ll put it up on the screen here. We’re gonna land the plane with this. Galatians chapter two verse 20. Paul says this.

Think about this phrase. Two men enter, one man leaves. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

It doesn’t bother us. Yes. The baby talk doesn’t bother us. It certainly doesn’t bother us. Not at all.

Her contribution is welcome. Scripture off the charts. Feel God’s full. Last question. See if you’re and I haven’t clearly overtly stated this, but let’s see if you’re picking up what I’m putting down.

The thunderdome, the arena of combat. What is that a battle of between the two people? You are kind of all too. The flesh. The flesh.

Or another way to describe it is your will. Every every decision, every thought, every crossroads that you come to, you are stepping into an arena of combat. Who will win? You both cannot. Either your will will die, my old self has been crucified.

Brutally, publicly, violently. Or Matthew that we what we just read at the beginning of our conversation. Jesus does this amazing thing. The Pharisees retreat and plot how they might what, kill him. Jesus is in the combat arena with your will.

Two men enter. Two men cannot leave either with your choices, with the exercise of your free will that you have been given, your individual autonomy, each of you have a chooser. Either You will choose your own will, your own desires. And here’s what we like to think. Well, I I’m gonna choose my way in this instance, but, like, I’m not killing Jesus.

Like, I’m just gonna do it my way. Only the Holy Spirit can connect the dots for you in your heart that you I mean, it’s even hard for me to say without sounding blasphemous or or or speaking in hyperbole. But you killed Jesus. You put him on the cross. When you choose your will over his, you plot how to murder Jesus by choosing your own way.

Two men enter, one man leaves. Galatians is a beautiful letter written to the church in Galatia. How we begin to die to ourself. The law, the righteous requirements of the law have been fulfilled. We no longer need to live under the law, but something still has to die.

Let us consider that for a moment. Okay? Just yes. That’s a lot. That’s a lot to consider.

Help us, Lord. Help us. When you enter the Thunderdome of the Battle of the Will, who are you going to allow to win? Is there an area of your life even this week, this morning that you’re vacillating, you’re wavering between two paths, your will or his will? You’re you’re in the thunderdome right now.

Not most not just Well, there’s a difference between conviction of the Holy Spirit and condemnation from the enemy. Condemnation from the enemy points the finger at you and says, oh, you’re such a terrible person. Big broad brushstrokes. They they start with this. They say you messed up on this and this, you did that, and, well, you didn’t do that.

And then it just goes like a snowball and just winds up in they’re just a music. Conviction doesn’t do this. That’s condemnation. Conviction does this. Come here.

Come here. Come here. Run to me. Run to me. Run Run to me.

Run to me. Run to me. Conviction from the holy spirit whispers to your heart about one thing he wants to talk about. One thing. Jesus invites you into the arena and says, let’s hash this out.

Let’s talk about this area of your life. Jesus, we ask that you would help us. And while we’re in this attitude of consideration, prayer, and ministry, let’s just worship the lord one other way. We have worshiped the lord with song. We have worshiped the lord by honoring the word that was discussed today.

Let’s take one more opportunity to worship the lord by bringing him a portion of our finances. I mean, what a practical, real way to step into the arena of wrestling with God. I know what’s best for my finances. I heard I’m I’m not gonna preach a tithing nugget because the Holy Spirit’s doing that right now. But when we bring our tithes and offerings to the Lord as an act of worship, we’re telling him I love you and I trust you.

There are several ways that you can give here at Tribe at the TMC. Right outside the door that you came in of the building, there’s a little black lockbox, and you can put cash or check-in there. There’s also, the website, TribeGH. When you step into your tithing, here’s what a lot of people do. Well, I I I don’t I can’t afford to tithe right now.

When I make can you just make up some number, you know, next month or next year or that’s when I’ll start tithing. Like, just go ahead and die and start tithing somewhere and watch what God does with your finances. There’s nothing better than dying in terms of surrendering your life to him. Jesus, would you receive these tithes and offerings family brings to you today? Would you use them to make your name famous here at tribe in Jackson Hole, the surrounding region, and to the uttermost bounds of the With our tithes, we tell you that we love you and that we trust you.

It is it is a privilege for us to sacrifice a portion of our finances on the altar so that it would be a pleasing aroma to you. We love you and we trust you. In Jesus’ name and everybody said Amen. Amen. Thank you for being here with us today.

For announcements today. Leo, would you have some of those connect cards over there? Oh, yeah. If you’re not on the text blast for info you want to, maybe Leo can just set them just kinda on the counter by the coffee maker. Just fill your name out and stuff, and we’ll get you added to the tribe.

It’s a way that you can stay in touch with us. We like to keep you on your toes depending on where we’re meeting. We’re gonna be meeting here at the TMC for, a while. We do nine and eleven. But if you wanna be on that text blast, you can fill out the connect card.

You can also fill out a prayer request there. And, I got a text message from Venetia. Next week. Michelle, wave your hand, Michelle. Michelle and Michelle.

Yes. So Michelle and Ron will be in the VIP room. If there’s anything that you need prayer for when we’re done here, if you can just scooty dude back to the VIP room, they would love to pray with you. And Worship night at Gateway. All churches are coming together and doing a worship night.

So not this Wednesday, but next Wednesday, the twenty sixth at 06:30. And Down in Rafferty. Jay. We’ll give you a text about that as well. Yep.

Would you stand up? Would that be alright if I prayed for you? Lord Jesus, thank you so much for this gathering, this community, this family of people who are trying our best to lay our lives down and surrender to your leadership. Your name famous. God, I command a blessing.

Your name famous. God, I command a blessing over each and every person here, all grown up and itty bitty. Lord, bless them. In Jesus’ name, give us a great week. We pray these things in Jesus’ name, the strong and everybody said Amen.

Amen. I love you all so much. Have a great week. And remember, Ashley, you got this.