Sermon #26                                                            Series:  Isaiah

 

          Title:        Christ Our Sanctuary (Psalm 90)

          Text:        Isaiah 8:14

          Subject:  Christ As A Sanctuary

          Date:       Sunday Evening - October 8, 1989

          Tape #

 

          Introduction: 

 

          We know that our text refers to the Lord Jesus Christ because both Paul and Peter, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tell us that the text is talking about Christ (Rom. 9:32-33; I Pet. 2:8).  To the proud, self-righteous religionist, Christ is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.  I may talk about that at some other time.  But tonight I want to show you that Christ is a sanctuary for poor, helpless, guilty sinners like you and me.  The title of my message is Christ Our Sanctuary.  I want, by the grace of God, to persuade you to come to Christ and find sanctuary in him.

 

Proposition:  Christ is a sanctuary for all who trust him.

 

Divisions:  Our Lord Jesus Christ is a sanctuary in three respects.  He is:

 

1.   A Sanctuary For Safety.

2.   A Sanctuary For Worship.

3.   A Sanctuary For Life.

 

I.      First, the Lord Jesus Christ is A SANCTUARY FOR SAFETY.

 

          That is to say, he is a place of refuge for guilty sinners.  He is a hiding-place, an ark of safety, a sanctuary from the wrath of God.

 

 

          We frequently use the word “sanctuary” this way.  Many cities are bird sanctuaries.  It is against the law to kill any bird within their limits.  Certain places have been set aside as game sanctuaries.  You dare not, under penalty of law, hunt wild game in those places.

 

          In the Old Testament God appointed Six Cities of Refuge (Jos. 20:1-9) where men who were guilty of manslaughter might flee for sanctuary.  Within the city of refuge, within the appointed sanctuary, the avenger of blood could not touch him.  There the guilty one was under the protection of God’s own law.

 

          Like those cities of refuge, our Lord Jesus Christ is a place of secure refuge and sanctuary for every sinner who flees to him.  The moment a sinner believes on Christ, he is safe.  Believing on Christ he is safe in life, safe in death, safe in judgment, safe in eternity.  The wrath of God cannot touch any sinner who takes refuge in Christ by faith (Heb. 6:18-19).

 

          Illustration:  Noah’s Ark

 

Faith in Christ gives sinners refuge and sanctuary in Christ.  If you believe on Christ, if you trust his blood and righteousness for your acceptance with God, if you forsake all confidence in yourself and put your confidence in Christ alone, your immortal soul is secure, saved, and safe forever.  Nothing can destroy you (Rom. 8:32-39).

 

·        No sin shall be laid to your charge.

·        No condemnation shall be executed upon you.

·        Nothing shall ever separate you from the love of Christ.

 

A.  Do you ask, “How can faith in Christ give me eternal salvation?”

 

          It is right that you should.  True faith is not a leap in the dark, true faith walks in the light.  I want you to know why you must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and know what faith in Christ is.

 

          God is angry with man because of sin.  His anger and wrath are justified, because we have broken his law.  And our sins against God must be punished.  Every sinner must be slain forever under the wrath of God in hell.  “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”  “The wages of sin is death.”  But the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, interposed himself.  He stepped in between an angry God and guilty sinners.  And the blows of vengeance and wrath which should have fallen upon us fell on him.  The debt which we owed to God was charged to Christ, and the penalty of sin was exacted from him.   Yes,

 

                             “Jesus paid it all,

                             All the debt I owed.

                             Sin had left a guilty stain,

                             He washed me white as snow!”

 

                             “He bore, that we might never bear,

                             His Father’s righteous ire.”

 

          Now hear me well - If the Lord Jesus Christ suffered in our place the wrath of God, we cannot ever be called upon to suffer the penalty of the law.  If Christ paid our debts, they are canceled, and we are no longer in debt.  If Christ became my substitute and died in my place, then God’s justice will not allow me to be punished for sin.

 

                             “Payment God cannot twice demand,

                             First at my bleeding surety’s hand,

                             And then again at mine!”  (Gal. 3:13; John 11:

                                                                      47-52)

 

          But for whom was this great sacrifice made?  For whom did the Son of God suffer and die?  For whom did he shed his precious blood?  I know this…

 

 

 

·        Christ did not die for those who suffer the wrath of God in hell.

·        Christ did die for and redeem God’s elect (Isa. 53:8; Heb. 9:12).

But who are those elect men and women for whom Christ died as a Representative and Substitute?  They are all who believe on him!  Any sinner, in all the world, who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ is God’s elect.  Faith in Christ is both the fruit and the evidence of election and redemption.

 

          Let’s look at John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world” - Most people stop right there and interpret the whole Bible by those words, declaring that the love of God extends to all people without exception.  But read the whole verse.  And read the verse in the light of the whole Bible.  “For God so loved the world” - this much, no more, and no less - “That he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  The love of God and the work of Christ extends to and is limited to “whosoever believeth in him.”  If you do not trust Christ, and you die in your unbelief, the death of Christ has nothing to do with you, and you have no part in the love of God.  God loves none but those who have believed and those who shall believe on the Lord Jesus.  Christ died for believers, believers and no one else.  But for every sinner who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ atonement has been made.  Christ has born the wrath of God for every believer.  And God cannot, in justice, punish any believer for sin.  If you are a believer, Christ died for you.  He has paid your debt.  Your soul is secure before God and always has been.

 

1.   We read our names in the book of life by faith in Christ.

2.   We prove our election and calling by faith in Christ.

3.   And we know our interest in the Savior’s blood by faith alone.

 

B. To believe on Christ is to hide in Him and find sanctuary in Him.

 

          Fearing God’s anger, I take refuge in Christ, trusting the blood of his cross to protect me from the wrath of God.  And justice itself puts a canopy over my soul.  Justice will not allow a ransomed sinner to be slain under the wrath of God.  This is substitution.  It is the very heart and essence of the gospel.  (II Cor. 5:21).  Christ is a sanctuary from the wrath of an angry God.

 

C. The Lord Jesus Christ is also a sanctuary from all fear.

 

          When you think of the sins of your past life, the failures of the day, and the sin that is in your heart, do not hang your head in morbid fear.  Rather, cast your soul upon Christ and take sanctuary in his precious blood.

 

Illus:  The anchor of your  soul is  not within you, but           

in Heaven.  Cast  anchor  upon  your exalted        Substitute, and fear not.

 

D. And Christ is a sanctuary from all our cares (John 14:1-3).

 

          None of us live without trouble.  Worry, anxiety, fretfulness, and fear shake the most immovable men of the world.  No man is so strong that he does not know the meaning of fear.  Bodily pains, troubles of soul, and an aching heart are things we all know.  But Christ is a refuge and sanctuary from care.

 

Illus:  Joseph Scriven - “What a Friend We Have in                 

           Jesus”

 

APPLICATION: 

 

1.   There is only one sanctuary for your soul - Christ Jesus.

2.   It is a very easy thing to find sanctuary in him.

 

·        He is accessible.

·        The way is clear - Faith.

 

                   Illus:  “Jump Son!”

3.   If you have fled to Christ for sanctuary, let others know that there is a place of asylum and safety for sinners.

 

          That is the first meaning of our text - Christ is a Sanctuary, for safety.

 

II.   Secondly, the Lord Jesus Christ is A SANCTUARY FOR WORSHIP.

 

          I often hear people talk about holy places, and holy things, and holy lands, as though one place is nearer God than another.  Sometimes people call church auditoriums sanctuaries.  Such talk is nothing but a relic of Jewish ceremonialism, or the result of Roman Catholic idolatry and superstition - Christ is our sanctuary (John 14:6; Heb. 7:25).

 

          We come to God only in and by the Lord Jesus Christ.   All true worship is spiritual, Christ-centered worship.  He is our ark.  He is our altar.  He is our mercy-seat.  We have no use for

 

·        Religious Symbols - (Pictures of Christ, saints, angels, etc.).

·        Superstitious Emblems - (Crosses, stars, etc.).

·        Idolatrous Relics - (Shrouds, coats, shoes, tombs, etc.).

·        Pagan Holy Places, Days, or Things - (Israel, sabbaths, altars).

 

          Christ is our sanctuary for worship.  You may worship God anywhere, if you come to God through Christ.  But if you do not come to God through Christ, you can worship nowhere!  You and I can have nothing to do with an absolute God.  We must come to God by way of a mediator.  And the only mediator God will accept is Christ.

 

·        We offer sacrifice to God only in Christ.

·        We pray only by Christ’s merit.

·        We gather for worship only in Christ’s name.

·        We render service to God only by Christ.

 

Jesus Christ is our only sanctuary for worship.  We cannot approach God in any other way.

 

          In the Old Testament, the Holy of Holies, the Inner Sanctuary, the place of God’s presence symbolized Christ our Sanctuary.

                                                                                   (Heb. 9:1-5)

A.  The Golden Censor - Christ’s Intercession.

B.  The Mercy-Seat - Christ’s Propitiation.

C. The Golden Pot that had manna - Christ the Bread of Life.

D. Aaron’s Rod that Budded - Christ the Power of God.

E.  The Tables of the Covenant - Christ our Righteousness.

 

·        Christ is a Sanctuary for safety.

·        Christ is a Sanctuary for worship.

 

III. And, thirdly, the Lord Jesus Christ is A SANCTUARY FOR LIFE.

 

          He is the believer’s dwelling place - (Ps. 90:2; 91:1).  We are priests of God who live in the sanctuary, in the holy place.  We live in Christ.

 

A.  Christ lives in us, and I thank God for that (Col. 1:27).

B.  But, more importantly, we live in Christ.  He is our dwelling place.

 

·        In His presence.

·        Under His watchful eye.

·        In His fellowship.

·        In the place of mercy.

 

C. And soon, we shall enter into heaven’s glory - But we will be no nearer Christ, and never fully in Christ, than we are right now.

 

 

 

 

APPLICATION:  I want you all to know and use Christ as a Sanctuary -

 

·        For safety!

·        For worship!

·        For life!

“He shall be for a sanctuary!”