Amazing Love

On this date 4 years ago, we remember the cowards that attacked our prized land. We remember those lives that were innocently killed. And we also remember those that showed acts of bravery as they scaled long stairwells and died within the walls of the “Twin Towers”. For the past couple of weeks on the History channel there has been a series about the events that lead to this horrible day that will never be forgotten. Today I would like for us to also remember another day for those of us here this morning that has receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and tell the story to those here, who may not have received eternal life through what Jesus Christ has done for you.

Starting from the fall of man, God throughout the Old Test. has given us pictures of Jesus Christ. Since before the foundations of the world was laid, God came up with a plan that He would one day, send us His only begotten Son into the world to pay for the sins of mankind that we might have the fellowship that was broken when Adam and Eve sinned. (expound sin – any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or violation of a divine command; a wicked act; iniquity) Starting with the book of Genesis God gave the Israelites pictures, types or even symbols that pointed toward a Savior – the man Christ Jesus as Timothy puts it. (read text)

The love that was displayed on the cross of Calvary was truly an amazing love and today I’d like for us to remember the price that was paid that we might claim the inheritance of eternal like, to such an act of love. In order to do this we are going to have to take a journey into the days of the Exodus when Israel’s bondage was broken from Egypt through the guidance and power of God.

As the children of Israel moved on toward the promise land, God gave not only laws to Moses, but feast and practices that were to be observed. The one that we are going to bring to our attention is the practice of the “Day of Atonement”. This atonement was to be observed around the month of Sept or October, as we know it today. The purpose behind it was this was the day Aaron (the H.P) would make atonement for himself as well as Israel. It was instructed to Aaron that he take a bullock and a ram to make atonement for himself and his household. Then he was required to take 2 goats and a ram for all of Israel. The 2 rams were to be presented as burnt offerings and the coals of these offerings were to be brought into the Holy of Holies as an incense offering before the Lord. (expound tabernacle and temple ground- temple yard (burnt offering alter, holy place; furniture – Holy of Holies- where the ark of the covenant stayed, only one allowed in was the H.P.)

Lots (votes) were cast upon the 2 goats to see which would be the sacrifice and which would be the scapegoat. Once this was determined, Aaron was to sacrifice his bullock and sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat within the Holy of Holies 7x’s. The goat for Israel was then sacrificed and the blood was to be sprinkled onto the horns of the alter. (Horns in the bible represent judgment). The blood on the horns represented the judgment of sins through the price of an innocent animal paying the price for sins. Israel’s sins were covered by the blood of this goat and then Aaron would confess the sins to the goat that lived and then turned looses. Taking the confessed sins with it, showing us that when God forgives sins, he doesn’t remember them any more.

Several hundreds of years later, God sent Jesus to leave His throne to take the form of a man to show us an Amazing Love. Throughout His time on this earth, Jesus did many wonderful works and many lives were changed. Many lives were saved, healed, and brought back to life during the life of Jesus’ earthly ministry. 33 years into His life, God saw it fit that His Son was prepared to be the sacrifice that would end the pictures that He gave Israel through the Feast of the Lord including the Day of Atonement. As we parallel this particular feast, let me point out some key factors before we go further into our text.

#1. just as Aaron was to cast a lot upon the 2 goats to see which was to be the sacrifice who would pay for the sins of Israel, Jesus was brought before the congregation of Israel along with Barabas to see which would be set free and which would die.