Sunday Worship Service ***NEW SERIES***The Tabernacle Blueprint For Then and Now

The tabernacle is presented as a divine blueprint that reveals how God thinks about sin, redemption, and access to His presence. Beginning in the outer court, the design makes clear that salvation is available to all but only through God’s prescribed way. The one entrance points to Christ as the singular door; entry is not casual or accidental but requires movement of faith and a willingness to be transformed. Front and center in the outer court stands the brazen altar — large, visible, and unavoidable — signifying that the first encounter with God must reckon with sin through substitutionary sacrifice.

Details matter: the altar was simple acacia wood overlaid with bronze (signifying judgment), fitted with horns, and built to endure a continual fire. That fire, initiated by God but sustained by priests, consumed offerings completely; partial consumption meant the worship was unacceptable. The altar’s four equal sides declared God’s love for all directions of humanity and the universal need for a costly covering. Before incense, light, or intimacy, blood had to be shed; worship without sacrifice was neither authentic nor permitted.

The teaching presses the moral seriousness of approaching a holy God. Sin cannot be managed, negotiated, or obscured by outward piety, talent, or attendance. Repentance is not decorative; it is exposure and surrender. Real transformation involves God’s purifying fire that changes behavior and orientation toward holiness. The same altar and the same standards apply now: the New Testament fulfillment in Christ does not nullify the holiness of God nor the necessity of acknowledging sin.

Practical applications are direct and uncompromising. Offerings are unacceptable where unforgiveness or unresolved sin remains; reconciliation precedes acceptable worship. For those who have not trusted Christ, entrance into God’s presence requires the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus and personal surrender to Him. For those who have wandered, restoration begins with honest confession and immediate repentance so the path beyond the altar toward intimacy can be walked again.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Access demands sacrificial blood Belief without substitutionary atonement is incomplete; God’s holiness requires a covering that removes the stain of sin rather than masks it. The altar at the entrance declares that forgiveness is not optional theatre but the foundation of any approach to God. Authentic faith begins where sin is acknowledged and accounted for through the means God ordained. [17:19]
• 2. One door: God's prescribed access The tabernacle’s single gate underscores that God sets the way to Himself; access is not pluralistic or negotiable. This unity of entry points to Christ as the exclusive door into true fellowship with God, shaping how devotion and access must be understood. The posture required is surrender to God’s route, not improvisation. [11:24]
• 3. Fire must wholly consume sin The altar’s fire did not merely touch offerings; it consumed them fully, signaling total removal of sin’s claim. Partial repentance or managed sin leaves residue that frustrates intimacy with God; transformation is visible and decisive. The believer is called to a holiness that the purifying fire produces, not to a cosmetic faith. [29:36]
• 4. Unforgiveness blocks acceptable worship God values reconciliation before ritual; an offering presented while harboring unforgiveness is refused. True worship flows from right relationships—both vertical with God and horizontal with others—and unresolved bitterness undermines access to God’s blessing. Restoration and confession clear the way for offerings that are pleasing to God. [44:59]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:37] - Opening praise and declarations
• [03:28] - Series: Tabernacle blueprint introduced
• [04:09] - Scripture reading: Exodus passages
• [06:05] - Title: Altar of Sacrifice
• [08:35] - Outer court and the one gate
• [13:00] - The brazen altar described
• [17:19] - Blood, sacrifice, and redemption
• [29:36] - The fire: consumption and purity
• [44:59] - Unforgiveness, offerings, and obedience
• [48:14] - Invitation: restore or receive Christ

1. The sermon emphasizes that the tabernacle was a "divine blueprint" given by God. What does it mean for God to provide a specific "pattern" for worship and access to His presence? [07:42]
2. The brazen altar is described as the first thing encountered in the outer court. What does the placement of this altar signify about the initial encounter with God? [19:24]
3. The sermon states that the fire on the brazen altar was initiated by God but sustained by priests, and that offerings had to be consumed completely. What does this tell us about the nature of God's requirements for worship? [15:11] [29:00]
4. The sermon highlights that unforgiveness is considered a sin that prevents acceptable worship. How does the Old Testament sacrificial system, as described, relate to the idea of reconciliation before approaching God? [44:59]

1. The sermon explains that the acacia wood overlaid with bronze for the altar signifies judgment. [14:27] How does this combination of materials help us understand God's holiness and His approach to sin?
2. The single gate into the tabernacle is presented as pointing to Christ as the exclusive door to God. [11:24] What does this exclusivity reveal about God's desire for relationship with humanity?
3. The sermon emphasizes that sin must be completely consumed by the fire on the altar, leaving nothing behind. [29:36] What does this complete consumption imply about the thoroughness required in dealing with sin in our lives?
4. The sermon notes that God refuses an offering if unforgiveness is harbored. [44:59] How does this connect the vertical relationship with God to the horizontal relationships we have with others?

1. The sermon stresses that access to God demands sacrificial blood and that belief without substitutionary atonement is incomplete. [17:19] In what ways can we practically acknowledge and account for our sin through the sacrifice of Jesus in our daily lives?
2. The single entrance to the tabernacle points to Christ as the only way to God. [11:24] How can we ensure that our devotion and approach to God are aligned with His prescribed way, rather than our own improvisations?
3. The fire on the altar had to consume the sacrifice completely, signifying the total removal of sin's claim. [29:36] What does it look like for the "fire" of God's purifying work to completely consume sin in our lives, leading to visible transformation?
4. The sermon states that unforgiveness blocks acceptable worship and that reconciliation precedes acceptable offerings. [44:59] What specific steps can you take this week to address any unforgiveness in your heart and pursue reconciliation where needed?
5. The brazen altar was placed at the entrance, signifying that we cannot casually encounter God's glory. [19:24] How can we cultivate a greater sense of awe and reverence for God's presence in our lives, recognizing that approaching Him requires more than just outward piety?
6. The sermon points out that real repentance involves exposure and surrender, not just outward actions. [36:18] In what areas of your life might you be tempted to "manage" or "obscure" sin, and how can you embrace honest confession and surrender instead?
7. For those who have not trusted Christ, the sermon reminds us that entrance requires His sacrifice and personal surrender. [47:41] If you are in this position, what is one tangible step you can take this week to begin that journey of surrender to Jesus?