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The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus the Bread of Forgiveness

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The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus the Bread of Forgiveness.
Repentance and forgiveness for every day injuries is something we give and receive all the time.
I tread on your toe and you forgive me.
Someone makes you late – Never mind that’s okay.
Our possessions get damaged – It’s hard but we can forgive.
Sketch.
Through repentance and forgiveness Jesus is still healing the scars of 2 World Wars
We can bury every hatchet, forgive, forget and start again, but for all people at some point in our life we will need to get right with God.”All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3: 23.
True repentance isn’t turning over a new leaf making a fresh start out of fear of punishment or saying the words of repentance out of self pity, without really meaning it. We can be comfortable with our sin, and ignore the call to repent of it.
The cross is where we recognise that we need to say sorry to God, for the things that we have done wrong.
God will meet us at the cross at the first sign of repentance and act on Jesus taking our place, bearing the cost in dying for our sin on the cross.
God forgives us for everything, when we turn completely to him making a full turn, not half hearted, but saying that we are sorry with all of our heart, mind and will. We receive forgiveness through our faith in what Jesus has done for us on the cross.                                                                                                                        
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
ABSOLUTION
We celebrate at Communion what Jesus has done for us in reconciling us with God our Father.
The song writer Graham  Kendrick wrote ‘In the bread there is healing and in the cup there is life for ever,’ in the cup, the wine representing the blood of Christ.
The greatest healing was when Jesus came from heaven to earth in the flesh, to heal our broken relationship with God so that we will walk in newness of life with God. Romans 6: 4
In our reading Jesus was discussing in the synagogue at Capernaum with the Jewish people the significance of his claim being the bread of life. He said, “Unless you eat of this bread and drink his blood you shall not have life within you,”
Some of his own followers were appalled
The majority of people gathered in the synagogue, when they heard him say this were affronted. To understand why, under kosher laws, the Jews were not allowed to eat blood, as life is in the blood and also certain creatures were deemed unclean: shell fish, the pig, and some cloven footed animals etc.
For those Jews at Capernaum, for them to participate in eating and drinking Jesus’ body and blood would mean accepting, acknowledging that his life laid down was the end of Kosher law.
His followers on another occasion had heard Jesus say that all foods were clean, he stated that it’s not what you ate that defiled a person, it was what comes from the heart: deceit, hatred, revenge, coveting and pride etc.
So what Jesus referring to had yet to happen, his body and his blood would be the final atoning sacrifice for the sins of the flesh, coming from the heart, not from what they ate.
Rev John Hadley in his book ‘Bread of the World’ supported by the Bishop Trevor Huddleston he writes:
“Jesus gave himself up, in his life and on the cross, finally and totally and irreversibly; he suffered death and was buried; but God vindicated him by raising him up from the dead, and it is his risen body which we celebrate and receive in the Holy Communion.”
The bread and the wine are tokens of repentance and forgiveness and as we are raised up to walk in newness of life.

Visual Aid. Scarce Copper butterfly

We have an example in nature: from the egg the caterpillar emerges and lives for a short time.

It then it attaches itself to a branch and makes a pupa or chrysalis where it goes through a transformation and the butterfly emerges from it. Below Scarce Copper butterfly (my attempt to replicate the butterfly)


So all people are sinners in God’s eyes until we come to the cross and repent  and we are transformed by the Holy Spirit acting upon our faith in Jesus’ body and blood atoning for us, redeeming us and as a result we are raised up with Jesus in his resurrection.
Paul in his letter to the church at Rome 6: 5 “If we are united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” Jesus in conversation with Martha said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

The bread and the wine also symbolising Christians sharing Christ’s brokenness and healing in forgiving one another from the heart. 
The picture to the right was as a result of me arguing with church members about whether the church should close or not. I did not want it to close. After the Lord gave me this picture I repented from my heart, by arguing I was knocking nails into Jesus’ hands upon the cross. I drew the picture and wrote these words, “Tuesday 3rd May the picture came to me while I was sat at prayer in St John’s Stonefold. The compassion of Jesus as the fightings and arguments in the world nail him to the cross, over and over again. The importance of Communion.” The year would be 1993.

On the cross Jesus was heard to say, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” he not only forgave all who come to him in faith, he asked his Father to forgive as well.
Our own unforgiving spirit has been nailed to the cross, and were we find it hard to forgive sometimes, because of being hurt, injured. The sharing of the bread symbolises were Jesus asked his Father to forgive also, so we ought to forgive each other.” .
Christians across the globe sharing the bread and the wine tokens of repentance and forgiveness and newness of life walking in the Spirit. 

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. 
Paul wrote encouraging them to be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love as Christ loved us. To imitate Jesus and seek the will of the Lord is for us rejoicing together. “Speaking to one another with Psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” So we remember, “The joy of the Lord is our strength,” because we are forgiven. Ephesians 5: 19, 29. Nehemiah 8: 10.


Evening Lectionary; Exodus 2: 23, 3: 10.  Luke 12: 49 – 58.

God in his Omnipresence–through his presence everywhere, he heard  the cries of the Hebrew people and being Omniscient – knowledge of all things, he knew they were suffering at the hands of the Egyptians. Also God in his Omnipotence – all powerful was about to relieve their suffering through Moses leading them as a nation towards the Promised Land.

Moses was curious when he saw that the bush was burning but it was not burnt up. God spoke to him from out of the bush.
                        
In our New Testament readingJesus spoke of casting a fire upon the earth, the fire of judgement. A fire not yet kindled until after Pentecost, a fire not seen in the flesh, but would be felt by the presence of the Spirit of God working in people’s lives across the world
The Holy Spirit’s ministry convicting people of the sin of unbelief of rejection of Jesus being the Messiah, of righteousness and of judgement.

Jesus knew that the Gospel message“God so loved the world, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” 
This claim would divide families in their religious beliefs, even husbands and wives would disagree in what they believed. I am sure we can recall people who we know are in this situation.                 
In Moses situation, he probably was not sure what his beliefs were before he met God at the burning bush. He knew he was a Hebrew, his father Amram and his mother Jochebed who were Levites descendants of Jacob. However, he had been rejected by the Hebrew man who saw him kill the Egyptian when he was defending a fellow Israelite.
Moses also had been brought up as an Egyptian in Pharaoh’s household, he must have been familiar with the gods of Egypt and His father-in-law Jethro was a priest of the Midianites, Zipporah one of seven daughters of Jethro became Moses’ wife. Exodus 15: 20.
When God spoke to him he identified himself as the God of his father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob how that must have impacted Moses’ beliefs.

The importance of having a real contact with the God who you believe in is amazing.
Simon Altaf brought that home to me on his CD. He sought for 10 years for Allah to speak to him as he prayed faithfully asking him to make himself known to him and it never happened. He came in contact with a fundamentalist Muslim who had become a Christian and he learnt from him what Christianity is about having a personal relationship with Jesus.
Simon asked Jesus to make himself known to him and Jesus did, he spoke to him while Simon was at work “Follow me” those were the words he heard Jesus say to him in his inner ear and so he continues to follow Jesus today.
Moses is described as being full of meekness.
Moses was not pushy type of person, he was probably quite dignified, and he had made a stand against injustice, both defending the Hebrew and stepping in to stop the shepherds pushing in to water their sheep before Jethro’s daughters at the well.               
But he had run away from Pharaoh after killing the Egyptian and when God asked him to go to Pharaoh it was not surprising that he was not too happy. The task that God had given him to do was to request that Pharaoh let the children of Israel go to a land flowing
with milk and honey, the land of Canaan
The Lord brings us face to face with our failings, wrongdoings and then undertakes bringing healing through a trial. a furnace of fire. Every Pharaoh claimed to be an incarnation of the sun god Amenra and was known as the son of the sun. 

God showed Himself supreme above every false god and also supreme above the being who inspired and directed the evil spirits behind these pagan deities.


Jesus during his ministry showed his Godly authority over the God of this world, but the leaders of the nation could not discern the signs he gave them. 
Jesus was not carrying a rod, he was God himself casting out evil spirits and I have found out through studying he was aware of people’s fear of spirits.                                                                                                                       
Jesus deliberately went into the desert where it was believed evil spirits lived. Another reason he did not wash his hands because of the Jewish belief that evil spirits resided on unclean hands. Receiving water from the woman of Samaria, he had no fear of drinking borrowed water and no fear of spirits behind their idols.

For us who follow Jesus, he’s the fire that burns within us, that does not consume us. Instead he lights up the way for us to fulfil God’s will.
bread of life, communion, Cornelius, Grace, I AM, Kosher, Law and Grace, Peter's vision

The Messiah’s Secret – Law and Grace

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A Christian is not under law, but is under grace. Romans 6: 14
   
Jewish people today keep the laws of Moses and a lot of effort goes into keeping the laws relating to food.

A term we use in connection with something being correct: ‘it’s Kosher.’
Kosher – Hebrew – Yashar meaning to be right, pure, and clean according to Jewish ordinances.

On a table I placed a number of vegetables and fruit.
Fruit and Vegetables are Kosher
Any vegetables:  cauliflower, onion, peppers, carrot and potato.
Lettuce and water cress. Leafy vegetables must be cleaned carefully inspecting the leaves where insects may hide.
Any vegetables found having worms, grub or insects in them are not kosher

Fruit   Apples, pear, plums, raspberries and grapes.
All fruits are Kosher foods, however, if they are not cleaned thoroughly removing any insects or worms they are not Kosher.                                                                                           

Grape products are kosher as long as they have been prepared by a Jewish person.  However, whole grapes are kosher.                                                                                                                                           Fish The Jewish person can eat sea food as long as it has scales and fins.
Clams, oysters, crabs, shrimp, prawns and lobster are not kosher.                                                                                             
Poultry
All poultry are kosher.
Meat
Meat is considered kosher as long as it from an animal that chews its cud and the hooves are cloven. Pig and hare or rabbit are not kosher.  The blood of any creature must not be eaten.
For the Jewish person all meat to be eaten must have its blood drained from it, because life is in the blood. The blood removed from the meat makes the food spiritually sinless and clean. Leviticus 17: 10-16 


                                                          
The problems Jewish people encounter arise when they dine at a restaurant or in the home of someone who does not share their beliefs.

Bowl and several packets of crisps.  Opening each packet of crisps and identifying those that are kosher and those that are not kosher like: smoky bacon flavour, flame grilled steak, prawn cocktail and those that are kosher; potato, cheese and onion, salt and vinegar.
By mixing the crisps all together we cannot easily identify the kosher from the non kosher which would be a problem for a Jewish person keeping kosher law.

Under law if a Jewish person eats by accident any of the non kosher foods they must cleanse themselves (purification ritual) by washing with water. In the evening they are pronounced clean. Leviticus 11. & 17: 15, 16
The Day of Atonement, a sacrifice for the people of Israel covering all sins. Leviticus 16: 15,16

Finishing statement. Jesus ended the kosher food laws when he died on the cross. 
                                                         
A White Cloth is placed over the table to signify that the food laws came to an end.

Following the Lectionary – John 6: 51-58   Ephesians 5: 15-20.

Jesus said, “I AM the Bread of Life.”
Prince Charles has a number of titles: His Royal Highness, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothsey, Knight of the Thistle, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and about six more titles that belong to him. 

‘I AM’ is one of the titles belonging to God which God revealed to Moses “Say I AM has sent you.” Exodus 3:14.

“I AM” one of Jesus’ titles.  Jesus gave his name as ‘I AM’ whilst in conversation with the Jews. “The Jews challenged Jesus by saying are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? “Jesus in his reply said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad. The Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8: 56, 57.
Apostle John records were Jesus in his prayer tells us that he was with his Father in heaven before he came to the earth.   “And now, Father, glorify thou me in thy own presence with the glory which I had with thee before the world was made.” John 17: 5.                                                                                                        
Jesus has always had a continuous life.
God intervened in human affairs when Jesus was born of a woman and became one of us. At the age of thirty three he died on a cross. Death was unable to hold him;  God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. Scripture tells that his body did not decay and become dust, fulfilling the King David’s prophecy. Psalm 16: 8-11   Acts 2: 27.
Forty days after his resurrection Jesus ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God. He has an indestructible eternal life, after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 7: 3, 15-17.                                                                                                            
At Capernaum in the synagogue Jesus discussed with the Jews this question concerning his claim to be the bread from heaven.
The Jews took Jesus’ words literally and were appalled.
“The Jews disputed among themselves saying “How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood you shall not have life within you. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” John 6: 52 – 58

Some of Jesus’ own followers were appalled
“Many of Jesus’ disciples, when they heard it, said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” John 6: 60
Even some of Jesus’ followers couldn’t accept these words and didn’t follow him anymore. John 6: 60, 66
For Jesus to suggest that they should eat his flesh and drink his blood were against all of the laws relating to food as food was spiritually part of them. Defiled by foods that were unclean under (kosher) law .
Especially they were defiled, made unclean by eating blood as life was in the blood and without the shedding of blood there was no forgiveness for sin. Leviticus 17:11. Hebrews 9: 22.
The penalty for sin was made through an offering being purchased at the temple, a pigeon, a lamb, a goat, etc The person brought their sacrifice before the priest, the person placed their hand upon the head of the sacrifice saying a prayer that transferred their sin to the sacrifice becoming one with the sacrifice, it paid the price by laying down its’ life for their sin against God. 
Jesus saying “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him,” he was referring to the partaking of his sacrifice becoming one with him laying down his life for sin relating to the food laws and all laws and sin against God. No longer has food any spirituality. Jesus declared that all foods were clean. Mark in his gospel recorded Jesus saying; “Do you not see that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, since it enters, not his heart but his stomach, and passes on. (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And Jesus said, ”What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. For within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. These are what defile a person.’” Mark 7: 14-23.
Mark realised when he wrote in brackets, (‘Thus, he declared all foods clean.’) Jesus was saying that food was clean. 
Jesus bore these sins of the flesh that defile a person’s heart for us on the cross: evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. These are what defile a person not what we eat.

Signifying a change from being under law to grace.
Today, when we turn to Jesus in repentance saying sorry to him for our sins against God we are forgiven. Jesus becomes our substitute taking our sins of the flesh upon him on the cross, so releasing us into the freedom of God’s forgiveness through his resurrection.

At Holy Communion the bread and the wine are symbols of Jesus’ sacrifice of his body and blood. They do not become the actual flesh of Jesus his body or blood. 

The Communion reminds us of Jesus sacrifice and also that we receive the benefits of it under grace.
Salvation – Saved from the results of sin which is eternal death, separation from God.
Healing –   Reconciliation with our Father God leading to restoration of our relationship with God.
–       that takes place in our body, soul and spirit
–       from our sicknesses and disease.
Eternal Life – we receive a continuous life in fellowship with God.                                                                                                                          
It was several years after Pentecost when Peter had a vision were the Lord confirmed that the laws relating to food were ended. How hard it is for a Jewish person to come to terms with the fact that kosher food laws are no longer required.

“After Pentecost the apostle Peter was staying at Simon the tanner’s house at Joppa. Whilst Simon and Peter were preparing the evening meal, Peter had a vision, he saw the heaven opened, and something descending, like a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.”Acts 10: 9 – 16.

Here the Lord our God was doing two things.
Through this vision not only have the food laws come to an end but the Gentiles have been brought into the New Covenant.
“While Peter was still pondering the vision, three men arrived at the house and asked for Peter. They informed him that the centurion Cornelius had been visited by an angel. The angel directed Cornelius to send for Peter who was lodging at Simon the tanner’s house at Joppa.                                                       
Peter quickly realised the meaning of the vision; it was God’s intention for him to go and associate with these people who were not Jews. This would also include eating food from their table. Peter accompanied the men to the home of Cornelius at Caesarea. Peter related to them all about Jesus, “God had anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest . . . To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” While Peter was saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. Peter and his companions were amazed; God had shown no partiality between Jew and Gentile.” Acts 10: 38 – 45.  

Two other scriptures confirm that all foods are clean.
“The heart is strengthened by grace, not by foods which have not benefited the adherents.”Hebrews 13: 9.
“Therefore let no one pass judgement on you in questions of food and drink.” Colossians 2: 16.              
Jesus the Bread of Life
Jesus went on to say, “It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh is no avail; (profits nothing) the words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.” John 6: 63.
Jesus pointed to his words as being living bread.
Scripture verses that confirm this view Jesus being the word of God clothed in the flesh. 1 John 1: 1. 
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and was God.” John 1:1.                                           
On the evening of the Day of Jesus’ resurrection Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit onto his disciples. Afterwards Jesus opened their minds to understand prophesies in the Hebrew Scriptures concerning his suffering and death, and his resurrection. Luke 24: 45, 46.
  
Purification by the water of the Word.
Jesus said, “You are already clean because of the Word I have spoken to you.” John 15: 3 Every word that Jesus received from his Father he gave to his disciples, the truth cleansing them and setting them and us free.  
We are all taught by God through the abiding presence of Jesus in our mind and hearts.Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he wrote that we are cleansed by the water of the word. Ephesians 5:26, 27. It is about ‘truth’ entering into the truth of God’s Word. 
The Blood  The continual flow of Christ’s blood from the throne of grace. For Paul through the visions that he had received his beliefs had been turned upside down.                                                                              The Messiah’s Secret page 126. Paul a Pharisee “Paul, a Pharisee, strictly adhered to the law. God had shown him that circumcision and the rituals and sacrifices of laws of Moses had come to an end, and the Holy Spirit would now write God’s laws into the heart of a person through faith in Jesus, the New Covenant.”                                                                                             
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace he has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end.” Ephesians 2: 13 -16
Through Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension the ceremonial law and the law of commandments contained in ordinances (regulations) are ended. 
We are not under law, but under grace.
Under grace the law is fulfilled in love and written in the heart. John 15: 10.Romans 13: 10. Jeremiah 31: 33.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he reminds them to discern what the will of the Lord is;
He suggests that everything should be done in moderation; he did not say it was wrong to have a glass of wine, but he wrote it was not good to get drunk. On another occasion he wrote in his letter to the church at Rome saying that because they were not under law, they could NOT do whatever they liked so that grace may abound. Romans 6: 1, 2, 11, 15.

The modern term – Antimonaism – Sin no longer a force to be reckoned with so you can do whatever you like.

Peter confirms that the rules of Jewish law are no longer in force, he reminds the Christians of his day and us today in his second letter: to add to faith virtue, add to virtue knowledge, add to knowledge self-control, add to self-control steadfastness, add to steadfastness Godliness, add to Godliness brotherly and sisterly affection, add to brotherly and sisterly affection the love of God. 2 Peter 1: 3-8. 

Grace  Blessed are you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

You made the world in your love. You redeemed the world by your love,
You sustain the world with your love. May we ever abide in your love,

And give ourselves to you in love. Amen                                                                                                                                                                       

church, communion, mary Magdalene, resurrection, the messiah's secret, tomb

The Messiah’s Secret – Communion with God

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Jesus the Head of the Church
Jesus is the head of the world-wide church and we are all members of Christ’s body. Worship comes from the heart of a Christian and we are called to worship in Spirit and truth believing that Jesus is God made visible in the flesh and that he is Lord.
The churches diversity in worship is expressed in a variety of ways that enriches our fellowship with the Lord and with other Christians.

The Anglican church Building
Most Anglican Churches have been designed with the sanctuary at the east end of the building. Our worship faces towards Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, the church watches for Jesus’ return.
“And on that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives which lies before Jerusalem.” Zechariah 14: 4.

1. Communion table.
2. Sanctuary and communion rail, with provision for kneeling.
3. Pulpit, used by clergy for gospel readings and sermons.
4. Lectern with Bible, used by lay readers for scripture readings.
5. Boundary between nave and chancel; usually the floor of the chancel is three steps higher than the floor of the nave.
6. Congregation.
7. The chancel.
8. The nave, where the congregation sits

The church building floor plan designed with spiritual application.

The Lord’s table representing the New Covenant is the central focus in the sanctuary.
The word sanctuary meaning a sacred place.
The sanctuary represents the most sacred place in the temple at Jerusalem called The Holy of Holies, it was established under the Laws of Moses. The meeting place between God and the high priest found in the Old Covenant which has been superseded by the New Covenant which represents the meeting place between Christ and his body of believers.

C. W Slemming in his book ‘Made According to the Pattern’ writes, “The Old and the New Testament agree, the Old foretelling the New, and the New fulfilling the Old. The same applies to the “written” and the “living” Word. God’s Word is in harmony with Christ’s life, and Christ came not to destroy the law but to fulfil it. Whilst the cherubim face each other they are not looking at each other – that is, they were looking towards the blood. The Old Testament in type and shadow, in doctrine and example, looks forward to Calvary and the shedding of blood while the New Testament looks back to Calvary and tells us that we are redeemed by the blood of Christ.”

The Old Testament in type and shadow.

St. John writing at the end of the first century wrote: “Then the disciples went back to their homes. But Mary (Magdalene) stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been laid, one at the head and one at the feet.” John 20; 10-12.

Mary saw the angels as she stooped and looked into the tomb, the two angels sitting on the rock one where Jesus feet had been and the other where his head had been laid. This scene resembled the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant.
On the Day of Atonement God met with the high priest in the Holy of Holies in the temple at Jerusalem. The high priest carried the blood of the sacrifice and sprinkled the blood between the two cherubim that faced each other on the lid of the Ark called the ‘Mercy Seat,’ the blood made atonement for sin. Leviticus 16: 14, 15.
Matthew Henry’s Commentary page 424 confirms this view with the two angels reminding us of the two cherubim on the mercy seat.

2000 years ago when John wrote this it would have been unthinkable for a woman to glimpse behind the veil of the Holy of Holies.

The Holy of Holies was the prototype, in the tomb it actually took place.
C.M. Slemming states that the Old Testament is in type and shadow, so was the tomb the real Holy of Holies? The angels they were real, the sacrifice was real. Jesus the perfect sacrifice was carried into the tomb by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. Jesus the high priest offered his own life’s blood as the final sacrifice for sin, having been slain at Calvary outside the city walls.

Jesus came not to destroy the law but to fulfil it.
In the Old Testament under law the red heifer was the offering made for sin and death and was slain outside the city walls. Alfred Edersheim’s book ‘The Temple’ page 347-353

The Messiah’s Secret – page 154
The risen body of Jesus was the fulfilment of the entire temple rituals and sacrifices. Jesus, the perpetual light, is a continual light that burns in the world through the truth of the Gospel. He is the eternal high priest offering his own life’s blood as a sacrifice for sin. The altar of incense, Jesus the intercessor between God and humankind, “And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him.”1 John 5: 14, 15. The laver, cleansed by his word, the living water of the Word. John 15: 3. The vine, the living witness, the church, the life of Jesus in the world. Entrance into God’s seventh day of rest through the complete work of Jesus in his death, resurrection and ascension.”

God met with the high priest and spoke with him in the Holy of Holies
God communicated with his people in the Holy of Holies. “”There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat from between the two cherubim that are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you of all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.” Exodus 25: 22

Jesus spoke with Mary
Mary established that it was Jesus who she was speaking to and not the gardener.
God had raised Jesus from the dead, he was the first fruit of the resurrection. Some time before Jesus had told Martha at her house, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.” John 11: 25, 26.
Jesus said to Mary Magdalene, “ Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.”
Here Jesus is referring to his ascension in connection with the offering of himself to God as the atoning sacrifice, his sacrifice had to be excepted by God and it was.
The writer of Hebrews 9:14 “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

Jesus did a complete work in his death and resurrection, “Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” Hebrews 9:24.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary at some point later in the morning after telling the disciples they met Jesus, they recognised him and touched his feet.
“And behold Jesus met them,”Hail!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” Matthew 28: 9, 10.
On the evening of the Day of the Resurrection Jesus appeared in the room where the disciples where gathered. They were now able to touch him and he ate some food. Luke 24: 39,42

The Psalmist foretold of the Messiah’s return to heaven.
How the angels must have rejoiced at the sight of him coming towards them,” Lift up ye heads , O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! “ Psalm 24: 7-10

Jesus gave commandment to Mary “But go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and to your Father, to my God and your God.”
Just as the high priest had received instructions from God to give to the people of Israel. Mary was instructed by Jesus to deliver his message to the brethren. In giving Mary this message Jesus gave her his authority to minister his word to the brethren.

The Glory of God
“There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory.” Exodus 29: 43
C. W Slemming in his book ‘Made According to the Pattern’
“Between these cherubim and above the mercy seat was the Shekinah glory. The word shekinah does not occur in our Bible at all, it is an Hebrew word. But here, in the Glory cloud, did the Lord dwell, and here it is that God met with Israel. It is still the place where God meets man, for that place is between the pages of his Word and on the ground of shed blood.”

The presence of the glory cloud of the Trinity can be seen in our churches stained glass windows. A circle of light painted around the heads of people. Twenty eight years ago I saw the glory of God (shekinah glory) around the head of Rev Ronald Freeman. It was at an evening event in the Parish Hall Ron was at least five metres away from me and people were chatting and walking about the well lit room, as I turned and looked across I had a side view of him talking to a lady. I saw the golden light arched around his head and in the light the word in brilliant white, ‘love.’
On three other occasions I’ve seen the shekinah glory of the Lord in the faces of Christians.
A young man who had learning difficulties shared the gospel with my sister and myself and his face shone.
A lady who was giving her testimony at a church mission and another lady who was a customer at my market stall when she began to talk me about Jesus her face lit up. It was as they spoke about Jesus their faces shone, it was as if a light had been switched on within them.

It may be that when you are speaking to someone about Jesus that your face is shining with the shekinah glory of the Lord.

Communion with the sanctified Christ“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth. As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.” John 17: 16-19.

God’s Spirit calls Christians to gather in worship to give Jesus the highest honour and praise. The celebration of the New Covenant, the Communion between Jesus and his body of believers, challenges us to live the sanctified life.

When we become a Christian a process of change takes place within us as the living word begins the work of shaping our lives to become more like the consecrated Jesus, his life was separated by his words and deeds to do the work of God his Father. He was in the world but not part of it.
The Lord calls us to consecrate our lives to show Christ’s love to our neighbour. Putting into practice Jesus’ teaching that often means denying self (me) its dominance. Often I fail to live up to the word of love, but by acknowledging my failings and sometimes my lack of faith, the Lord in his love and forgiveness draws me closer to himself and blesses me, his cup of grace running over in my life.

Communion Table
In union with our heavenly Father, and our Saviour Jesus Christ and our brothers and sisters in Christ,in partaking of the bread and wine which are the tokens of the new covenant, we take up our cross daily of self denial, and offer to the Lord our lives as a sacrifice of praise with thanksgiving,