A0419_Cleansed to Pray
Date: 14th January 2009 (Wednesday PM) Ref: A0419
Place: Kambah P.S.
Title: Cleansed to Pray
Text: & Leviticus 4:1-7
Illust: Bible teacher Chuck Missler has a little mantra that he repeats, almost like a motto that the Bible is; “66 books, penned by 40 different authors, over thousands of years, is an integrated message system. Furthermore, the origin of this message system is from outside our time domain. The degree of integration of design among the 66 books is astonishing. Every number, every place name, even the hidden structures behind the text itself, bear evidence of precise, skillful engineering.” - It is important that we have an understanding that the Bible is an integrated whole & therefore there are certain types / numbers / symbols that are consistently used throughout the Bible. – We want to get some understanding on the nature of prayer and how the consistency of types can unlock some clues for effectual prayer.
I. Understanding Symbols
A. Blood
i. The first type we want to look at is probably one of the clearest and most consistently applied throughout the W.o.G – The Blood ~ & vs 5-7
ii. Blood is symbolic of life, it is what keeps you alive – Regular advertisements from the Red Cross Blood Bank for donors – Blood is essential to life – Delivers necessary nutrients and oxygen to the body's cells & transports waste products away from those same cells. ~& Lev 17:10-14 ~ for the life of all flesh is its blood ~ When blood is shed, life is given / devoted / lost.
God had laid down the law before sin that should Adam sin, life would be forfeit. – Shed blood is the penalty for sin. – So therefore the shedding of innocent blood is what makes the atonement / covering for sin.
Exodus 30:10 And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.” (NKJV)
iii. Everything / everyone stained by sin. – Only one thing that can purify - Blood
Hebrews 9:22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. (NKJV)
Why Jesus came to shed His blood
Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (NKJV)
B. Altar of Incense
i. Another type is that of incense: - What is incense? A mixture of pleasant smelling spices burnt to give off a pleasant fragrance. The smoke ascends upwards, the fragrance is pleasant. – Incense is a picture of prayer.
Psalm 141:2 Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. (NKJV)
ii. That is our prayers ascend up to God, but more than that they are pleasing to God. – Prayer at its core comes from a heart that admits dependence & acknowledges that God is able to meet the needs of our lives. – A symbol of our dependence upon Him.
Revelation 5:8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (NKJV)
iii. The Altar of incense, that was in the Tabernacle before the veil of the Holy of Holies had incense burning on it continually. – Symbolic of the prayers of God’s people.
II. Sin
A. Blocks Prayer
i. It is important that we realise that prayer is more than just a symbol that we are dependant upon God, the truth is we are dependant upon God. Actually prayer is essential. We simply must pray. We have to bring our needs / struggles / trials / highs / lows to God for His involvement. No hope apart from God. – Therefore vital that your prayers are not hindered or blocked.
ii. What blocks or hinders prayer? – Sin – Must realise this, sin hinders / blocks your prayer. ~& Jer 14:10-12
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. (NKJV)
Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. (NKJV)
iii. This is the context of our text, the people, the priests have sinned, a ritual / ceremony is instituted by God in response to this sin. & vs 3-7
B. Purified by Blood
i. Notice in our text & vs 7, the Blood is placed on the Altar of incense. – Only time I can find that blood is applied to this altar is in this particular instance / ceremony (Lev 4:1-21) - & it is specifically for the sin of the entire congregation & priesthood/Elders. Not Rulers not common people. (Lev 4:22-35)
ii. What is the purpose of blood? To make atonement, to purify. – The altar of incense – has blood applied – signifying that a price has been paid, blood has been shed for remission:
Remission: Release, as from a debt, penalty, or obligation / forgiveness, pardon.
iii. So that their prayers were not hindered, blood was shed & applied to the altar of incense. – Sin blocks / hinders our prayers - God concerned about this & so makes a way for the altar of incense to be purified so that the sin can be dealt with – Prayer unhindered
III. Sin Dealt With
A. Confessed
i. God is Holy & sin has to be dealt with. Cleansed purified. – Remember James tells us
James 5:16 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (NKJV)
ii. How can we be righteous so that our prayers are heard?
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (NKJV)
iii. We need to deal with sin, it needs to be confessed so that it can be forgiven
B. Blood of Jesus
i. Thank God for the blood of Jesus. – By the precious blood of Jesus we have forgiveness of sin. Our prayers can rise freely like incense up to the Father
Listen again to the process for dealing with Sin so that prayers are not hindered: & vs 6-7
What has happened to the veil of the tabernacle / temple? – torn in two
Mark 15:38 Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. (NKJV)
ii. The way has been made that we can come boldly to the throne of Grace (Hb 4:16) – Not through our efforts but by the blood of Jesus - & Heb 10:19-23
iii. That your prayers are not hindered – confess / forsake all sin & claim the purifying blood of Jesus as you come before the Lord in prayer