This past Sunday during Mitch’s sermon, he shared about when he was an Ohio State University Cheerleader (circa ‘88–‘92) and that with that position came “All Access” to everything OSU. During football season on Game Day, he could go anywhere he wanted in The Shoe including on the field, in the locker room, in the band room with TBDBITL, up in the press box…anywhere. As a cheerleader, he even had the privilege of leading the football team as they ran out onto the field at the start of each home game. Listen…can you hear the crowd cheer?! Same held true for all basketball games in St. John Arena (even including the time that Michael Jordan came to play for a celebrity game) as well as every other sport or big event on campus where the University wanted some “cheer”.
This is an example of an amazing ”All Access” experience one can have here on earth. Yet as exciting as it was, and as many pictures and memories he still holds today from that time in his life, Mitch was offered that “All Access” privilege at OSU only for a limited time, only for the years he was an OSU cheerleader. It is but a glimpse of the “All Access” that Jesus offers to His Presence and His Kingdom for ALL who will believe for now and for all of eternity.
In the Old Testament, God instructed Moses and the Israelites in how to set up the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was where the Presence of God would reside. It was very detailed and there was an outer court, and hidden behind a curtain there was an inner court. Within the inner court was the Holy Place and behind yet another curtain was The Most Holy Place. The Most Holy Place was where the Presence of God resided between the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant. The only person who was permitted to go behind the curtain, the only person who was granted access by God to The Most Holy Place & therefore His Presence was the High Priest, and that was only permitted once a year. Can you imagine someone else having to go and meet with God for you, and only one time per year? There must be a better way!
There is! God knew there was a time coming when He would reveal that better way. No longer would the atonement of sin come through bloody animal sacrifice after bloody animal sacrifice that only temporarily atoned for the sin of the people. No longer would access to the Presence of God happen only once per year by one person. “All Access” to the Presence of God would be offered to ALL through one final and perfect sacrifice.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV
“With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” Mark 15:37-38 NIV
Our “All Access” to the Presence of God was made available to ALL when Jesus Christ breathed His last breath…and “the curtain of the temple was torn in two FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.” (emphasis added) The separation between mankind and it’s Creator was removed at that moment. The curtain to The Most Holy Place was torn in two granting “All Access” to EVERYONE who believes and calls on the Name of Jesus! Listen…can you hear the crowd cheer?! Not just one priest, and not just once a year. And did you notice that the curtain was torn from top to bottom? At 30 feet high there wasn’t a ladder tall enough for man to reach the top…only GOD could remove the curtain that separated sinful humans from Him. And He did that by giving His Son Jesus…the perfect, final sacrifice for all time and we are offered “All Access” to the Father and the Kingdom of God for all of eternity by receiving God’s free gift of salvation through grace alone through Jesus Christ alone. AMEN!
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—”
NIV 8:2 Ephesians
“that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
NKJV 9:10 Romans
If you have asked Jesus to be the Lord & Savior of your life like me, we have “All Access” to the Presence of God and his Kingdom right now and for all of eternity. Selah. That’s a word we see repeated in the Psalms which most likely means pause & reflect or stop & listen. Take time to do this right now…pause and reflect upon what that means for you and ask yourself what are you doing with that reality.
If you haven’t yet received Jesus’ gift of salvation yet you are ready to gain your “All Access” to the Presence of God and His Kingdom, pray this with me…
Dear Heavenly Father, I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I understand that my sin separates me from You. I don’t want to be separated from You any longer. I believe that You made a way for me to come back into relationship with You through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who took the penalty of my sin, which is death, on a cross. That He died and He rose again on the 3rd day so that I, too, can live. I understand it is by grace that I am saved which means there is nothing I have done or can do to qualify or disqualify myself for eternal life. The only thing that qualifies me is Jesus Christ and Him alone. I realize that the only way to gain “All Access” to Your Presence is by asking Jesus Christ to be the Lord and Savior of my life, and I choose to do that today. I have decided to follow You Jesus.
Sing with me now… I Have Decided to Follow Jesus (lyric video)
Pastor Lara Price
**Reference showing the location of the presence of God inside the temple, behind the veil.