Forgiven & Removed
Sin contaminates the sacred. Jesus made a way for all people to receive forgiveness of sins through His sacrifice and God teaches the people the importance of removing the sin from their lives and community.
“Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household. Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He is to cast lots for the two goats—one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat. Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering. But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat...He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness...The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness."
Leviticus 16:1-2, 4, 6-10, 20-22, 26, 31, 34
One a year, on Yom Kippur, the people would make both a sacrifice for their sin and symbolically remove the sin through sending out a scapegoat. Our culture loves a good scapegoat. Someone else to take the blame or to point a finger at accusingly. Ironically, this is the opposite of what the original law intended. As humans, we do need guilt to go somewhere. Are we finding the redemption that comes from removing the sin and recognizing the goal of creating a sacred community that draws closer to God?
The text clearly points to the need for a Savior who dies, bears the sins publicly and frees us privately, and pays the price once and for all. Who else but Jesus is the scapegoat for humanity? Who else would choose the cross and to bear the weight? Who else can clean us? No one but Jesus.
“We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly...Yet he saved them for his name’s sake...But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold...They exchanged their glorious God for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt...They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the Lord. They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them...Save us, Lord our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.”
Psalms 106:1, 6, 8, 13, 19-21, 25, 36, 43, 46-47
What advice does David has for us to avoid the sin that easily entangles? He points out the traps that we can fall into each day. He says the people forgot what God had done. They focused on created things rather than the Creator. They complained about what they didn't have rather than give thanks for what God provided. They allowed idols in their lives. Things that had greater value in their hearts and became something they desired more than God. Does this sound like something that was just happening to the people then or is it possible we can fall into the same traps?
Jesus says take up your cross daily. The Bible says God's mercies are new each day. Why? Because part of our humanity is that we will fall short and we need the salvation that comes from a personal Savior.
“Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom...Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day...My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Proverbs 4:4, 7, 11, 13, 18, 20, 23
Solomon uses the power of comparing what is important to help us find freedom. What is the advice of the wisest man other than Jesus to have ever lived? Above all else guard your heart.
How diligent are you about guarding your heart? What gets into your head gets into your heart. What you watch, listen to, think about all ends up traveling the short distance from our heads to our hearts. How are you guarding your heart by being careful about what you choose to let into your heart? The cost of filling your heart with popular things of the world is a heart that has no room for the sacred or the Holy Spirit.
“All this happened because you people sinned against the Lord and did not obey him. But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”
Jeremiah 40:2-4
Truth tells us that there are consequences when we sin. Some of the pain we experience in life is caused by others and some is self-inflicted. The mercy of the Lord God is that He is always inviting us back to a place of redemption, restoration, and the resurrected life. Ask the Lord if there is anywhere in your life that you have fallen out of alignment with His ways.
“When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles...One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So, Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.”
Acts 18:5-6, 9-11, 20-21
Can you imagine how Paul felt? He had to have experienced a mixture of guilt for when he was persecuting others, frustration and offense at the persecution he dealt with when he preached, and sadness at the lack of repentance from sin from the people who would not listen. He says clearly to them that they can choose to have the blood of sin on their heads or on Jesus' head.
That is really the choice that we all have to make. Do we want to journey through life having to be our own scapegoat or will we receive the gift of new life through Jesus Christ as He pays the price for the forgiveness and teaches us the way to removal of the chains of sin. Jesus appears to us just like to Paul and says to not fear, nor be silent. He says this because He knows we experience fear. He meets us right where we are and guides us to a place of wholeness.
Redeemed people help bring redemption to others. Freed people bring freedom. Keep going regardless of whether a person turns his or her heart to Jesus. Keep sharing what God has done and how He has made a way for all to have peace with Him and in their hearts each day. You are made to bring the good news that we have both a daily scapegoat and a Savior in Jesus Christ.