#1550. MAKE THE BASIN FOR WASHING (21/7/26)

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (currently posted on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) as we continue our series: I Will Dwell Among Them. 

Today, we reflect on the truth:

The washing away of our sin is once for all and a daily practice

To watch this devotional, please select the link below:

I'm sure you've heard the phrase, "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater." It is often said to have originated in Victorian Britain, when many families shared the same bath water, taking turns to wash, often only once a week. During that era, soap also became much more widely used after the repeal of the soap tax in 1853.

Washing is a powerful picture of our spiritual lives. The bronze basin in the courtyard of the Tabernacle provided a practical place for the priests to cleanse themselves after the messy work of offering sacrifices. Yet it also symbolised something far deeper: the cleansing of sin.

We are told that ‘”Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die.”’ This points to our need to be cleansed as we draw near to God's presence. For Christians, this cleansing is found through faith in Christ. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, our sin has been removed, enabling us to enter God's presence with confidence. This cleansing takes place once and for all when we trust in Christ, yet it is good to remember and rejoice in this reality whenever we come to God in prayer and worship.

At the same time, the priests' repeated washing points to our ongoing need for daily cleansing. Although we have been washed once for all, we still need to deal honestly with the sins that continue to affect our fellowship with God. This is why Jesus taught us to pray:

James likewise writes:

And John reminds us:

As His death drew near, Jesus knelt to wash His disciples' feet. In doing so, He spoke of two kinds of washing:

Christians have already had the "bath." We have been fully cleansed and declared righteous through faith in Christ. This is the foundation of our salvation. Yet, like the washing of the disciples' feet, we also need Jesus to cleanse us daily from the sins that hinder our fellowship with Him.

Response

The washing away of our sin is once for all and a daily practice.

Do we regularly draw near to God? Is this the pattern of our lives?

Like the priests who drew near to God's presence in the Tabernacle, do we long to enjoy His presence?

Do we come with "the full assurance that faith brings," resting in the truth that Christ has washed away all our sin through His cross?

And do we also confess our sins daily, allowing Him to restore and deepen our fellowship with Him?

This year we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of CCP; to watch our anniversary video, please select the link below:

Community Group Study

1. Notices

It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News. 

2. Icebreaker

How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you? 

3. Worship together

Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.

4. Study and pray together

Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.

On Sunday, we continued our I WILL DWELL AMONG YOU series, reflecting on God’s design for the Tabernacle and how this speaks to us of how we are to seek to build the church. 

Please read Exodus 27:1–8; 30:1–10; 30:34–38 and discuss:

• Personal Reflection – What particularly encouraged or challenged you from Sunday's message? How did God speak to you through it?

• How do the altar of sacrifice, the bronze basin, and the altar of incense each point us to Jesus and His ministry on our behalf? (See Hebrews 9:11-14) 

• There is a deliberate order to these elements: first the altar of sacrifice, then the basin for washing, and finally the altar of incense. What does this sequence teach us about:

  • The way of salvation? (See Hebrews 10:19)

  • The pattern of our worship and prayer? (See Hebrews 13:15)

• The altar of incense symbolises our continual worship and prayer before God. What does this teach us about cultivating a life of prayer and wholehearted worship personally and together? (See, again Hebrew 13:15)

SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)

• Bringing people to the altar: Picture the journey of a worshipper entering the Tabernacle. Passing through the entrance (Christ), they first came to the altar of sacrifice (Christ's atoning death), then the bronze basin (our cleansing in Christ), before entering the Holy Place where the altar of incense represented continual worship and prayer. In many ways, this is the journey of bringing people to Jesus. How are we helping others take these steps? Where are we doing well, and where could we grow?

• Share Stories – Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing testimonies of God at work through us.

• Practical Next Steps – Who is God putting on your heart to reach? Are there any ‘people of peace’ (*see note) in your life—those who are receptive to you and spiritual conversation?

Let’s pray together: 

• Let’s pray for one another based on our study, and bring before God any other needs or requests for prayer.

• Pray for one another's SIV opportunities and boldness in following the Spirit's promptings.

• Pray specifically for the “people of peace” in our lives—asking God to open hearts and provide opportunities to speak life and truth.