Jesus Devotional - Day 25
Day Twenty-Five
Jesus: Real, Relevant, Raw and Radical!
Access Granted
Luke 23:44(NLT) By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. 46 Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.
Matthew 27:50-51(NLT) And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
Mark 15:37-38(NLT) Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
Life is filled with places and events that we would term “limited access allowed.” For example, at sporting events, certain areas are only accessible to a select few. The same applies at airports, where different categories of access depend on how frequently you fly. Airlines, for instance, have tiers like diamond, platinum, gold, silver, or “rock,” and your status determines whether you can board the plane or end up flying on the wing. Access always comes with a cost. Pay a fee, and you gain entry to various things. The more you pay, the greater your access.
Adam and Eve had full access to God's Presence. They enjoyed unbroken fellowship with the Father. But because of sin, they were expelled from the Garden. Genesis 3:23-24 (NLT) “So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. 24 After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”
We see that the Lord God places the cherubim to guard access to the Garden that led the way to the tree of life. When the Lord commands Moses to build the tabernacle, He gives him clear instructions. The tabernacle housed the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered by two cherubim, which was symbolic of the presence of God. To separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy, there was a veil. Exodus 26:31(ESV): “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it.”
It was the same when Solomon built the temple: 2 Chronicles 3:14 (NIV) says, “He made the curtain of blue, purple and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim worked into it.” V33 (ESV) states, “And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy.”
The main purpose of the veil was to separate the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. In the temple built by Herod (which took over 80 years), the veil measured 60 feet long and 30 feet wide. It was large and heavy, requiring 300 priests to maneuver it. No one could simply enter the temple freely. The priests could work in the outer court and enter the Holy Place, but not into the Holy of Holies. That space was reserved exclusively for the high priest, and only on the Day of Atonement. Sinful man could not enter the presence of the Most Holy God; doing so meant death.
Hebrews 10:11-14(NLT) “Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.”
Jesus, rejected by Annas and Caiaphas, the former and current high priests, became the only Perfect High Priest accepted by the Father. Jesus took Caiaphas’ job...Matthew 26:64 (NKJV) “Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.’”
Jesus shouts, and when He yields up His Spirit, the very thing that separated us from the presence of God is torn apart. It’s not just torn; it’s ripped in two. Luke tells us it was torn down the middle, rendering it obsolete. There’s no going back. It is ripped from top to bottom. I can envision the Father grabbing the veil and ripping it in two, like someone tearing up a bad contract. The Father is saying, “Now they can have what I always wanted them to have, My Presence.” We now have full access to the Father. Our High Priest’s body was torn, and He has become a new and living way for us. Hebrews 10:19-20 (NLT) “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.”
The first Adam faced the devil in the Garden and failed. The Second Adam won. Jesus did not just make a way for us to enter into the presence of God; He is the way for us to enter into the Father’s presence. He is more than just the way; He is also the door. His flesh was torn and ripped apart for us so that we can experience fellowship with the Father. Jesus is also our High Priest (Caiaphas got permanently canned) over God’s House. 21 “And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house...” You have the keys to the greatest House. You don’t have to wait in line. (Glory! I hate lines.) You have access to beauty beyond description. You don’t have to buy a membership, you don’t have to fly a million miles, and you don’t have to pay a monthly fee (tithing isn’t your fee). You can simply go in! When you walk through “the Door” and follow “the Way,” you’ll find yourself always welcome in your Father’s house.
The Hebrew writer clearly explains what Jesus has done for us and then encourages us to take several actions: Hebrews 10:22-25(NLT) “Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
Let us go into God’s presence, hold tightly to the hope we affirm, think of ways to motivate one another, and come together! All of this is because of Jesus. The veil is torn; Jesus spoke the final words on that: “Father, into Your Hands I commit My Spirit.” What a privilege we have to enter into the very presence of God — not just simply enter, but enter boldly. We don’t have to tread lightly. We don’t have to grovel on our hands and knees. We don’t have to fear rejection.
Considering the price Jesus paid for us to have access to the Father, why is it hard for us to pray?
You have full access. What are you waiting for? Go in!
Prayer:
Jesus: Real, Relevant, Raw and Radical!
Access Granted
Luke 23:44(NLT) By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. 46 Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.
Matthew 27:50-51(NLT) And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
Mark 15:37-38(NLT) Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
Life is filled with places and events that we would term “limited access allowed.” For example, at sporting events, certain areas are only accessible to a select few. The same applies at airports, where different categories of access depend on how frequently you fly. Airlines, for instance, have tiers like diamond, platinum, gold, silver, or “rock,” and your status determines whether you can board the plane or end up flying on the wing. Access always comes with a cost. Pay a fee, and you gain entry to various things. The more you pay, the greater your access.
Adam and Eve had full access to God's Presence. They enjoyed unbroken fellowship with the Father. But because of sin, they were expelled from the Garden. Genesis 3:23-24 (NLT) “So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. 24 After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”
We see that the Lord God places the cherubim to guard access to the Garden that led the way to the tree of life. When the Lord commands Moses to build the tabernacle, He gives him clear instructions. The tabernacle housed the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered by two cherubim, which was symbolic of the presence of God. To separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy, there was a veil. Exodus 26:31(ESV): “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it.”
It was the same when Solomon built the temple: 2 Chronicles 3:14 (NIV) says, “He made the curtain of blue, purple and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim worked into it.” V33 (ESV) states, “And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy.”
The main purpose of the veil was to separate the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. In the temple built by Herod (which took over 80 years), the veil measured 60 feet long and 30 feet wide. It was large and heavy, requiring 300 priests to maneuver it. No one could simply enter the temple freely. The priests could work in the outer court and enter the Holy Place, but not into the Holy of Holies. That space was reserved exclusively for the high priest, and only on the Day of Atonement. Sinful man could not enter the presence of the Most Holy God; doing so meant death.
Hebrews 10:11-14(NLT) “Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.”
Jesus, rejected by Annas and Caiaphas, the former and current high priests, became the only Perfect High Priest accepted by the Father. Jesus took Caiaphas’ job...Matthew 26:64 (NKJV) “Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.’”
Jesus shouts, and when He yields up His Spirit, the very thing that separated us from the presence of God is torn apart. It’s not just torn; it’s ripped in two. Luke tells us it was torn down the middle, rendering it obsolete. There’s no going back. It is ripped from top to bottom. I can envision the Father grabbing the veil and ripping it in two, like someone tearing up a bad contract. The Father is saying, “Now they can have what I always wanted them to have, My Presence.” We now have full access to the Father. Our High Priest’s body was torn, and He has become a new and living way for us. Hebrews 10:19-20 (NLT) “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.”
The first Adam faced the devil in the Garden and failed. The Second Adam won. Jesus did not just make a way for us to enter into the presence of God; He is the way for us to enter into the Father’s presence. He is more than just the way; He is also the door. His flesh was torn and ripped apart for us so that we can experience fellowship with the Father. Jesus is also our High Priest (Caiaphas got permanently canned) over God’s House. 21 “And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house...” You have the keys to the greatest House. You don’t have to wait in line. (Glory! I hate lines.) You have access to beauty beyond description. You don’t have to buy a membership, you don’t have to fly a million miles, and you don’t have to pay a monthly fee (tithing isn’t your fee). You can simply go in! When you walk through “the Door” and follow “the Way,” you’ll find yourself always welcome in your Father’s house.
The Hebrew writer clearly explains what Jesus has done for us and then encourages us to take several actions: Hebrews 10:22-25(NLT) “Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
Let us go into God’s presence, hold tightly to the hope we affirm, think of ways to motivate one another, and come together! All of this is because of Jesus. The veil is torn; Jesus spoke the final words on that: “Father, into Your Hands I commit My Spirit.” What a privilege we have to enter into the very presence of God — not just simply enter, but enter boldly. We don’t have to tread lightly. We don’t have to grovel on our hands and knees. We don’t have to fear rejection.
Considering the price Jesus paid for us to have access to the Father, why is it hard for us to pray?
You have full access. What are you waiting for? Go in!
Prayer:
- Take time to be in the presence of the Lord; just simply rest.
- Thank the Lord Jesus that He is your High Priest.
- Pray to the Lord to help you reaffirm your hope in His promise.
- Pray that you will have creative ideas to motivate others to do good.
Posted in Jesus Devotional