What does it take to feel whole again?
Maybe that’s not how we usually phrase it—but we’ve all felt the gap. The ache that comes from broken things. A fractured relationship. A shame we can’t shake. A hope we once held that didn’t pan out. Even though we smile through it, something deep inside whispers, “Things aren’t the way they’re supposed to be.”
So we try to patch it up. We get busy. We pour ourselves into routines or rituals. We turn to substances or distractions to numb the ache. But the question still lingers—what can actually make us whole again?
For the past several weeks, we’ve been walking through the major themes of the book of Leviticus—a book that, at first glance, might seem like the last place you’d expect to find hope.
But what we’ve seen is that behind the sacrifices and rituals lies the heart of a holy God—a God who desires to dwell with His people. A God who makes a way for the unholy to be made clean … for the broken to be made whole again.
We’ve called this series Holy God | Holy People, and at the center of it has been one pressing question: How can unholy people live in the presence of a holy God?
Leviticus gave us the patterns—sacrifices, offerings, priests, purity laws. But those patterns were never sufficient in and of themselves. They were shadows of the good things to come. Signposts–always pointing forward to something greater
And today—on this Resurrection Sunday—we see the One to whom they were pointing.
The One who doesn’t just cover sin but takes it away.
The One who doesn’t just enter a tent or a temple—but enters our brokenness and brings wholeness.
His name is Jesus.
And what happened on Easter morning changes everything.
Here’s the core truth I want us to take home this Easter morning: Only the Risen Christ can make us holy, satisfying God’s justice and securing our hope.
Before we go any further, let’s open God’s Word and let it set the foundation for our message today. I want to read a few verses from the book of Leviticus, and then a few from the book of Hebrews—to help us see both the call and the fulfillment.
First, look with me at Leviticus 11:44. God says, “I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy …”
And then over in Leviticus 20:7–8, God says it again: “You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.”
Now let’s turn to the New Testament—Hebrews 1:1–3: “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high ...”
And then one more—Hebrews 10:11–14: “Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”
So, let’s consider the first life-giving truth we see this Easter morning:
I. God’s Holiness – Revealed in Christ (Leviticus 11:44; Hebrews 1:1-3)
We’ve all felt that longing; that ache for something more. That deep sense that we were made for something beyond this brokenness. And deep down, we know why, because we were made for God. Made to be in His presence.
But God’s holiness isn’t something we can casually approach. In Leviticus, God makes this clear: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord am holy.” (Leviticus 11:44)
That command echoes throughout the book of Leviticus. It runs like a refrain throughout, calling God’s people to reflect His character. But His holiness is not a low bar. It’s not a spiritual suggestion. It’s a standard–one that no one can reach on their own. We can’t just waltz into God’s presence as if it’s no big deal. His holiness is perfect purity. Unapproachable radiance. It demands absolute reverence.
And that brings us to that pressing question: How can we—unholy people—ever stand before such a holy God?
Here’s the good news: in Christ, we don’t have to stay outside His presence.
Hebrews 1:3 says that “[Jesus] is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature …” In other words, Jesus is God’s holiness—revealed in the flesh. Holy. Pure. Perfect.
But more than that—He’s the way for us to be made holy.
Just as God’s holiness was once made visible in the tabernacle, it is now fully revealed in Jesus. He became the dwelling place of God’s presence— not in a tent or a temple, but in His very body.
And here’s the amazing reality: Through the resurrection of Jesus, the invitation into God’s holy presence is secured.
He doesn’t just reveal God’s holiness—He opens the way for us to be made holy in Him.
We, who were unclean—are washed clean.
We, who were separated—are brought near.
We, who were broken—are made whole in Christ.
This is God’s holiness revealed in Christ, Secondly we see …
II. God’s Justice – Satisfied in Christ (Leviticus 22:17–21; Hebrews 10:11–12)
If you’ve ever wondered why the sacrificial system in Leviticus had such specific requirements—why the animal had to be without blemish, why it had to be perfect—here’s the reason: God’s justice demands it.
In Leviticus 22:21, God says, “... it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it.” That might sound harsh at first, but it’s not cruelty—it’s consistency. It’s the necessary consequence of who God is. A holy God cannot sweep sin under the rug. He doesn’t lower the standard just because we can’t meet it. He is holy, and He is just—and justice must be satisfied.
That’s what makes the contrast in Hebrews 10 so powerful. “Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God …” (Hebrews 10:11–12).
Under the old covenant, the work was never finished. The priest stood, because there was always more to be done. But when Jesus offered Himself—once for all—He sat down. The work was complete. Justice had been satisfied.
Jesus didn’t just meet the standard. He is the standard. He is the spotless Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. He is the perfect offering; the only One who could fully satisfy the wrath of God.
This is what Paul describes in Romans 3:25, where he says that Jesus was “displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood.” That word propitiation might not come up in our everyday conversations, but it carries a powerful meaning. It refers to a sacrifice that satisfies. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice that satisfies the righteous judgment of a holy God against sin.
And here’s the astonishing truth: on the cross, Jesus drank the cup of God’s judgment—just as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Do you remember His prayer: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will” (??Matthew? ?26?:?39?) and again He prayed: “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done” (??Matthew? ?26?:?42?).
Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath. He willingly took on the full weight of our sin and bore the penalty we deserved, so that we could be declared righteous in His name. The justice of God, which once shut us out, has now been satisfied—not by our performance, but by Christ’s perfection.
This is what the cross was all about: the place where holiness and justice met mercy and love. And here’s what Easter declares—that perfect sacrifice was accepted. Death has been defeated. And because of Jesus, the judgment we deserved has been satisfied forever.
We’ve seen God’s holiness revealed in Christ, God’s justice satisfied in Christ, and finally we see …
III. Our Hope – Secured in Christ (Leviticus 26:11–12; Hebrews 1:3; 10:12–14)
Leviticus 26 gives us a glimpse of what restoration was always meant to look like. It’s not just about sacrifice and separation—it’s about relationship and return.
God says, “Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people” (Leviticus 26:11–12).
That’s the kind of nearness we were created for—not just proximity to God, but peace with Him. It’s what was lost in Eden. It’s what was foreshadowed in the tabernacle. And it’s what has now been secured forever in Christ.
Because Jesus didn’t stay on the cross. He didn’t remain in the tomb. He rose again—and sat down. That’s not a minor detail. That’s the language of completion. Of victory. Of assurance.
Hebrews puts it like this: “… having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, [Jesus] sat down at the right hand of God … For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:12–14).
That means if you are in Christ, you don’t have to wonder where you stand. You don’t have to question whether you’re accepted. You don’t have to carry guilt, or shame, or fear. Your hope isn’t fragile—it’s finished. It’s secure.
And this is what we celebrate on this resurrection Sunday:
Our hope—secured in Christ!
Let’s be honest—life in this world leaves us exhausted. We carry guilt we can’t erase and shame we can’t shake. We chase peace we never seem to find. We long for something more. Something lasting. Something real.
And here’s the good news: Jesus has done everything necessary to give it to you.
Only He can make us holy—satisfying God’s justice and securing our hope.
This is what Easter declares:
The sacrifice was accepted.
The price has been paid.
The tomb is empty.
And the invitation is open.
So the question this morning isn’t just, “Do you believe this happened?”
The question is, “Have you responded to it?”
This hope doesn’t come by trying harder or doing better.
It comes by trusting the One who gave Himself for you.
It’s not about proving yourself—it’s about admitting your need and turning to Him in faith.
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies … Do you believe this?” (John 11:25–26)
So what about you? Do you believe this?
What if today was the day you stopped striving and started trusting?
What if today you laid down your shame and received His grace?
What if today you received the life He died—and rose again—to give you?
The veil is torn.
The grave is empty.
The Redeemer has risen!
