Looking in His Face...

Every Sunday my pastor has something written in the bulletin, introducing his message.  I especially liked this last Sunday's and wanted to share it with you...

     When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai after being with God, he covered his face so that when the glory of the Lord that came at his encounters with God on the mountain began to fade, the children of Israel would not notice.  (2 Cor. 3:7)  When instructions for the tabernacle were given so that Israel could worship God in the wilderness, a veil was erected to separate the most holy place from man.  God's holiness demanded that He remain separate from sinful man.
     For the first ten years of my ministry, every time I officiated at a wedding the bride wore a veil.  She would come down the aisle with her face covered.  Then, after the pronouncement of the marriage is given, her husband would lift the veil.  Seeing the sparkle in her eye, he would be the first to see her face in such a condition.  It was a very romantic part of the ceremony that has almost been totally lost.  
     The day that Jesus died, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom.  (Luke 23:45)  Man's sin was paid for and the barrier that had separated God from man since Eden was removed.  This visible reality exposes a spiritual truth.  Those whose sin has been paid for by the faith-applied blood of Christ have intimate access to God that is known by no other.
     Throughout the Old Testament, there are occasions when God appears to men in a preincarnate physical form called a theophany.  God no longer has to appear to men in theophanies, because He has exposed His face to all who wish to look upon Him in saving faith.  When our redemptive hope is placed on Christ as we turn from sin and look to Him for cleansing, our spiritual eyes are opened and we are able to see Him face to face.
     As we look forward to Christmas, we look into the manger in Bethlehem and there we see the face of God.  Looking into His face, we shall see what we ought to look like.  


When we look into the face of Jesus, in His Word, we are looking into the fullness of God and from His glory is where we draw our confidence - to be bold to share Jesus with others.  Jesus came, to save us from our sins and to give us abundant life.  That is the message He wants us to get out.  He will be with us, until He returns, at the end of the age.  Living like we believe that, we will boldly proclaim the good news, and lives will be changed into the image of Christ, for the glory of God.