Acts 6:8-15Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not resist his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke. Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.” So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. Just As He SaidImmediately following the day of Pentecost the early church was growing by leaps and bounds, adding to their number daily. As is true within any expanding operation, effective leadership needed to be selected and allowed to lead. In order for this to happen the Apostles needed to be freed from some of their routine, more menial obligations. Certainly it is impossible to delegate tasks without people to delegate them to. Stephen was one of those first 'employees' of the church; a deacon really.
It became Stephens task, among other things, to distribute food to the needy within the Church. Along with this, he did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. It doesn't tell us exactly what those were but we can safely assume that he was healing the sick, casting out demons and preaching the Truth in Jesus name. And for all of his actions what reward did he recieve? He was arrested and put on trial. The Sanhedrin was the highest ruling body and the supreme court of the Jews. They had their own police force, similar to the secret service of today. They were given the power to appoint kings and priests, wage war, and criminally try traitorous priests, false prophets or rebel leaders. Stephen was arrested and accused of blasphemy and of being a false prophet. But why? The simple answer is that the Sanhedrin, made up of Jews, were simply afraid. Stephen was preaching a new life and new religion. He was preaching something that would, if true, very much jeopardize the high standing of those in the council. All of the power that they had in the region was based on Jewish tradition and Jewish law. If those things were to go away, so does all of thier rights. The more complex answer is that Stephen was on trial because Christ said these things would happen. Persecution is one of those things that comes with Christianity. It's true, I have never been put on trial for my faith, but I have met those who have. Long ago I met a pastor who at that point had just been released from prison for the third time. And each time he considered it a joy to have been their for his God. Like many of the promises of God, there are good parts and bad. In salvation we find both eternal life and worldly persecution. In persecution we may find pain but there is even good in persecution. Christ did not only promise that we would fight for Him, but He also promised that when it happened He would give us the words to say. Can you imagine sitting in a courtroom and you look over and the defendant isn't a person at all but actually an angel? How could they possibly see that and proceed with the trial? The Sanhedrin, while ridiculously 'religious' was full of very proud men. That pride, with Satans nudging, makes it so that the council would stop at nothing to attempt to retain their positions. I don't believe there is any human that would put an angel on trial. But your advisary, the devil, will stop at nothing to separate you from the love of God. That's why spiritual warfare is so important. By recognizing the lies of Satan, we actually draw nearer to the truth, the God of love. And I believe that is worth any amount of persecution that may come my way. Acts 3:1-10 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. What Would Jesus Do? There is so much in these short two chapters that I want to write about. It's difficult to narrow it down to one thing. There is Spiritual Warfare, healing, giving to the poor, communal living, the Power and Wisdom of the Spirit......and I'm just getting warmed up. So, for most of the day I'm thinking, "what do I want to write on, what do I want to write, what do I say?". And I keep answering myself, "it's not what Dan wants its what God wants." And then I answer my answer. "I know that but what does God want me to write about? What does God want me to say? What do I want to write, what do I say?"
"It's not what Dan wants its what God wants." And around and around until I finally figured out who's voice was telling me that. Duh. This blog is about getting what God wants...not necessarily what we want. But first, a story. While walking from the car to work last week a man, lying on the sidewalk asked if I had a dollar. I replied quickly that I didn't. Who carries cash anymore? Then he asked if I had a quarter. Sure, I have a few quarters. Can I have one? No. Why not? Because then I'd have one less quarter. Let me say that if i had given him a quarter, i could lose my job. it wasn't about the money. Ok, a penny, give me a penny. At this point I entered the building and was just thinking. What can you really do with a penny? Nothing. But at some point it became his mentality to just get something from me. Anything. Even if its worthless. I wonder, if he could ask God for one thing, would it be a quarter? So back to Acts. Here we have a man, never taken a step in his entire life. He's been carried to the busiest part of the city every day for who knows how long by his friends. (May I say that if I need to be, I hope to be able to find the strength needed to be that good of a friend.) He sits there all day, every day. He probably makes a pretty good salary but I'm sure it's not his dream job. We don't know how long he's been doing it, but long enough for most people in town to know who he is, what he looks like, what he wants and probably the sound of his voice. Maybe some even know his name. Then he sees two fishermen turned men fishers and asks them for what he asks everyone; a little pocket change. And what do these two righteous men, these followers and apostles of Jesus Christ, the boys that founded the Catholic Church say? They say no. They say that they don't have any silver or gold for him. How can that be the right answer? Is that what Jesus would do? As it turns out, yes. We humans can be so short sighted. How many times have I wanted what's right in front of me when if I had waited or sought Gods will or His way, I could have so much better? How many times have I asked for something from someone and they could have given so much more, something so much better? How many times does the flesh deceive me and the devil gets his way? By denying the fleshly desires of this old cripple, Peter and John, through the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, show us what Jesus would have done, and did do. He went so far beyond giving him a quarter, He gave him life. What are you asking God for? A handout or life? Do you want to be made well as only Christ can? Or are you satisfied being lame? Acts 1-2 I've spent a lot of this summer in the book of Acts. So, unsheathed is closing out the year with a 14 week, 28 chapter look at what it means to be a Christian according to the early church. Remember, God does not, has not and never will change so what His church was is what it will be and should be today. Acts is one of the few books that does not end. There is no 'amen' at the end because it isn't finished being written. By you. By me. By the followers of Jesus, the Christ. These are the Acts of His Apostles.
The first two chapters of Acts demonstrate an incredible shift in the life of believers. Throughout the Old Testament we find example after example of people trying to seek Gods will. It was really difficult. In the Temple or Tabernacle the high priest was only permitted into the presence of God one time each year. Because of that, God developed a new way to communicate. Casting lots. There are several mentions of it in the Old Testament but is really never explained well. What I've been able to find is that there is a lot of mystery behind the actual process. Some sources say that sticks were used. Some say sheep knuckles. Some say dice. It doesn't really matter. It may as well have been rock, paper, scissors or odds and evens. What matters is that lots cast was the only way for lay people to communicate with God. The very final time that it's recorded to have been used creeps up in the first chapter of Acts when the 11 disciples are to choose a suitable replacement for Judas, the traitor. But on the day of Pentecost, the world, and how we talk to God, changed forever. What was mysterious is now miraculous. What was hidden is now broadcasted. What was for one is now for all. And it is the difference between Christianty and religion. Religion, in it's most basic definition, is man seeking God or some other higher power or state of enlightenment. Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Islam and many other lesser known groups all fall under this. In fact, in Genesis 11 we find the people of Earth trying to find Gods home. "Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth." (Genesis 11:4 NIV) As a result, God confused their languages to the 6800-6900 different one we find on Earth today. This is also the time that God moved the continents from Pangea as He scattered the people around the world. In contrast, Christianity is God seeking man. God wanted to be with man so badly that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV) God is all about reconciliation. Restoring things that have been lost. On the Day of Pentecost God removed that language barrier. Through the baptism of the Holy Spirit the language of tongues was introduced. Perhaps the same language from the days of Babel?? But more importantly, along with a new language, the Holy Spirit also brought Power. The power that Jesus promised would enable us to do things even greater than those He did. It's that power that enabled Paul to travel the world teaching the Gentiles. It's that power that healed the believers through Peter, John and the rest. And it's that power that gives us strength to teach and preach in a cruel, cold world. Is that Baptism a gift that you have? Is it one that you want? 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in the end of the world. How will it end? War? Hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanoes? And when? Jesus said there will be wars and rumors of wars. Well, that's already happened. Kingdom will rise against kingdom? Check. Brother against brother? Check. Could the end be here now? Is it tomorrow?
The first answer is that it doesn't really matter. In Matthew 24 Jesus tells us that nobody knows the day. Not even Him. But that instead of trying to predict when our Messiah will return in His full splendor we really need to just be ready. In a parable Jesus says that if the owner of a house had known when the thief would break in, the owner would have been there to stop it. But we don't know. We don't know when He is coming back so be ready now. With that being said, it sure is fascinating to read about and think about. For me, the thing I find most interesting is all of the times that people have predicted very precise dates, claiming that they were tipped off by God. Guess what? They are believing a lie. The Father did not even give this information to His only son, He isn't giving it to us either. Instead, He gives us His word that is filled with answers. Let's look at some examples. How about the Mayans? Around 1800 years ago they created a calendar. It ended on Dec 21, 2012. That's about 20 weeks from now so I guess that Temple should be completed soon? Or Harold Camping? In 1992 he claimed that the world would end on September 6, 1994. Due to a mathematical error, he claimed, the end did not come. But fear not!! Because he had corrected the mistake and provided a new time frame. May 21, 2011 would begin catastrophic events that would conclude with the evaporation of Earth by a giant fireball on October 21, 2011. Funny how after that day, I remember exactly what I was doing on Halloween 2011. The most interesting part is that this retired civil engineer has taken his message across the globe and has been given millions of dollars of donations because of his incorrect predictions. But unsheathed isn't about the end of the world. It's about identifying lies and finding truth. The Bible is filled with the answers to every question anybody could ever have. Sometimes it's difficult to find. Sometimes its pretty easy. Sometimes it's clouded in prophetic language and parables and other times it's spelled out as clear as day. In our example of end times Jesus speaks of signs and times and His vague language is as clear as mud. But later, in 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul spells it out. Before the end of the world the Antichrist will stand in the Temple of God and declare himself Lord. Have you seen a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem? The second one was destroyed in 70AD. Before the end, a third Temple must be built. After that, then it could be any second. My point? Ask questions. And find the answers in the Word of the One who does not change. Ever. 1 Thessalonians 3 Thessalonica was a very large and thriving city Macedonia. Paul founded this mega church on his second missionary journey, comprised mostly of Gentiles, not Jews. He only stayed a short time but planted many seeds.
Those seeds planted by Paul are not magical. They won't grow a beanstalk to heaven. But, their variable fruits and life cycles are discussed in Matthew 13 and classified into 4 differeent types. First, the seeds may do nothing at all; Satan snaches it up too quickly. The second seeds grow quickly and enthusiastically; but Satan takes it because the basics are not understood. Third, seeds can attempt to grow, it wants to grow, but the worries and struggles of this world are too much and they are choked out. Finally, the seeds planted in good, receptive hearts grow, mature and succeed. Then, those successful believers can teach others and harvest 30,60 or 100 times what was planted. Some time after Paul had left Thessalonica, he was worried for them. He was worried that the seeds he had planted might have not grown. He specifically says that he was worried that the Tempter had tempted them. Satan, the Tempter, has one goal; to separate us from God. And he is VERY good at his job. Paul's goal is quite different. He wishes to go to the Thessalonians to fill in the rest of their understanding. Thereby closing the loopholes in which Satan can get in. Paul is playing the part of a farmer in this. Farmers do not plant seed and walk away. They water, they treat for weeds. Treat for pests. They know what seeds have been planted where, what each will require to avoid potentially jeopardizing their full maturation. Which is the exact same thing that Paul does with his friends in Thessalonica. So, what does that mean to us, today? Well, two things. The first is that we need to be cognizant about the seeds that we plant. I mean, I can be pretty sure that I've planted some without even knowing. But many of the seeds that I have planted were planted intentionally. If they take root, that is fantastic! But there's more, the job is not done. After they take root there are other things that the farmer needs to do to ensure the greatest harvest. Just as when Paul intentionally planted seeds, when you are blessed with the opportunity to plant seeds we really need to make sure that it's a fantastic experience. But remember what it is that these little seeds need to flourish and do those things to keep the tempter away. Plant, water, fertilize your seeds. Matthew 25:31-46
Sheep Go To HeavenDo you remember the Eddie Murphy movie Trading Places? Its a comedy in which a wealthy stock trader and a street con man trade places due to a ridiculous bet. The wealthy man loses his job, his home and his friends while the con man gets that Wall Street job. Towards the end of the film the wealthy man says "I had the most absurd nightmare. I was poor and no one liked me. I lost my job, I lost my house, Penelope hated me and it was all because of this terrible, awful con man."
In this passage in Matthew 25, the Big JC discusses the division of non believers and believers. It wasn't rich and poor, men and women, criminal and innocent or the homeless and those in castles. God doesn't see those things. He see our hearts and divides us accordingly; sheep are innocent, mild, patient and useful while goats are unsavory and unruly. Haven't we all done that? We are all guilty, at least once, of seeing that homeless man and instantly making that snap judgement that they must be lazy or an addict or a gang member or what ever else. But Jesus tells us that those are exactly the ones that we need to shower with love. It can be easy to love the well off but we need to love even the least of Gods people. If you can't love them for who they are you can at least love them for Whose they are. Remember, the second lie that Satan tries to tell us is that we do not have a relationship with Christ. That our identity in Christ really doesn't amount to anything and that we are worthless; a worm. When we deny help to the least of Gods people all we do is help to further that lie in their own lives. I see these people every day at work. I feed between 150 - 200 homeless people every night. What's bizarre is that there are many, many of them have a feeling of entitlement. And ya know what?? THEY SHOULD! It's true that we don't owe them a meal and they maybe aren't entitled to free meals they are entitled to be taken care of by Christians because Christ commands us to! These men and women come into my building, a Christian mission who feed the hungry in our area. It's expected that they will be fed. But what isn't expected is that they will be treated with respect and dignity. But we should be doing that too! Feed the hungry, water the thirsty, clothe the needy, housed strangers and visited with the sick and imprisoned. How do we visit with people, how do we spend time with people, how do we help people without dignity? It isn't possible. We never know exactly how many people will need meals on any given day. But whether it's one or 300 there is a poster near our serving line that reminds us of who and Whose our friends are. It's a constant reminder of the fact that what we do or don't do for our brothers are the things that we do or don't do for Christ. It's a simple prayer; "Lord, we know You will be coming through the line today, so help us to treat You well." Ephesians 6:10-18 From his prison home of two years Paul had nearly continuous contact with soldiers of the Roman Empire. As he studied them, their actions and their battle gear, Paul draws some striking comparisons between their physical armor and the Spiritual Armor that God gives us. The goal of unsheathed is to thoroughly examine each piece of the Armor of God, learn to equip ourselves with His armor anew each day and to keep our enemies exactly where they belong; out of our lives. To begin to do this lets go back in time to understand a little about the Roman army that Paul is trying to teach us.
Two hundred years before the birth of Jesus the armies of Rome were made up of citizens called up for duty each year. This was an early version of the military draft that we are familiar with today. Each man between 17 and 46 was liable for duty. No matter how effective this system may have been there was a major flaw in that there was no permanent army. These men were essentially called on as needed for individual missions; bringing the own gear, weapons and armor. If you have ever worked for a business that relies heavily on temporary workers then you understand how challenging it is to continually train new employees. Rome had the same problem. Every time they were called up there needed to be refreshers and in many cases there were new reinforcements that had be completely trained. Surely there had to a better way. Shortly before the end of the 2nd century BC the reliance on this annual call-up of citizens was abandoned and the temporary army was replaced by a standing one. This allowed for a stronger force with better and more consistent equipment and training. While a vast improvement over the previous system there was still a flaw in that the allegiance of these soldiers was to their commander, who payed his soldiers in money or land supplied by the state. Although this created very strong platoons it also led to a strange form of civil war. Commanders such as Julius Ceasar, Mark Antony, Pompey and Octavian not only went abroad making new conquests for the State, but also vied with each other for political control of the republic. It was Octavian who was victorious, defeating all of his opponents. He then instituted imperial rule, giving the armed forces a complete overhaul. The number of troops was cut by more than half but the required length of service was doubled. A military treasury was established to pay both active soldiers and veterans. Octavian also completely changed the purpose and goals of his army. In the past the mission was to stretch the borders as far as possible. The job description was simple: "Remember, Roman, that it is for thee to rule the nations. This shall be thy task, to impose the ways of peace, to spare the vanquished, and to tame the proud by war." Octavian changed the purpose from conquest to defense. Because much of their armor was mass produced the pieces weren't always of the highest quality. However, the engineering that was behind each piece was amazing. Realistically, the pieces didn't have to be impeccable because most of their opponents were unarmored. When the Romans did come across others with new or different gear, the ideas were evaluated, improved on and assimilated into their current, constantly improving, arsenal. It was these, engineered, tested and improved pieces of armor that Paul was so interested in. We will look at the sword another day but for now, the defensive armor. First, let's look at the helmet. There are many varieties but they all have similar features. They were heavy. Which is indicative of the thickness of the metal used. The brain is important and they weren't willing to take any chances on losing its functionality. Most of the models include appendages off of the main bowl to cover the ears and sides of the neck. Obviously, they didn't really want to lose an ear, but they also needed to protect the jugular from attack because it supplies our brains with the blood it needs. A few types of helmet also had an offshoot to cover the bridge of the nose. A hard blow to the nose is not lethal but can lead to a bunch of other unpleasant things so it seems reasonable to protect it. Finally, every helmet was lined with leather. We're talking about putting 10 pounds on your head all day, every day. If there were not efforts to make them at least a little comfortable how many would actually wear them? How much good is that uncomfortable helmet doing at protecting you when it's hanging in your garage. Next, the breastplate. The name doesn't really say all that it is. This strong piece of metal covers the torso of our soldier, both front and back. It has one job. To keep you alive. When arrows are coming at you in war, a punctured lung, severed aorta, pierced liver or kidney or damage to the spinal cord is the end of your fighting days. Because of its critical role, there wasn't a lot of variation. Many times the length varied depending on the job of the owner. A soldier in the calvery would have a shorter one than an artillery guy. Some had leather padding under the shoulder rests for comfort. Other than that, they are all the same and their life saving importance is clear. A belt doesn't really seem like a critical piece of armor but it actually very important. In modern times it is likely much more obvious when people don't use one. It wasn't that long ago that Larry Platt made waves on American idol by singing his original song "Pants on the Ground." While it was pretty much just a joke, it does look at a curious fashion trend that no Navy SEAL would ever attempt. In battle, you expect that your equipment, whether armor, weapons or whatever else, are well fitted and functioning properly. The belt of a Roman soldier held a dagger, a sheath, and kept his lower body armor in place. So, while the belt itself may not seem life saving, it's function and importance cannot be overlooked. Traditionally, when I think of a shield it's a small round thing that is lightweight so it can be carried easily and used quickly. It's something seen in a Monte Python movie or a neighborhood boy using a trash can lid imagining that hes up against Captain Hook. But the shield used by the Roman army was certainly not small or light. At about 42 inches tall, this is more like a piece of furniture. Made of layers of hardwood, the outermost layer covers the seams of the inner layer. If hit with an arrow or stone, it's likely that the outside perimeter would easily chip and desinigrate and eventually be destroyed. To prevent that, the wooden edges are lined with bronze or iron. The curved shape is designed so that anything that strikes it will tend to ricochet away from the soldier. Probably the weakest spot on the shield is on the inside at the grip. Holding it from there means that the hand is very vulnerable if a projectile were able to penetrate. Of course, the Romans weren't willing to take that kind of risk, so, the center of the outside of the shield was fitted with a large, metal boss directly over the grip making that spot the least dangerous instead of the most. Footwear played a major role in the development of the Roman Civilization. Better shod armies were able to travel further across rougher terrain. Caligae were heavy-soled military boots with iron nails protruding from the bottom worn by Roman legionary soldiers. No other shoes in history symbolize the expansion of an empire than these famed shoes. Their open design allowed for the free passage of air to the feet and were specifically designed to reduce the likelihood of blisters forming, as well as other disabling foot conditions like trench foot. Constructed from three leather layers which were laced up the center of the foot and onto the top of the ankle, iron hobnails were hammered into the soles, to provide the shoe with reinforcement, traction and additional armament. Because of their durability in most climates, their stability, comfort and longevity, the Roman soldier was always ready to go wherever needed on a moments notice. Would you like to put on the full armor of God every day? Here's my daily morning prayer to do just that. Try it out some time. I'd bet that your enemies will give you some breathing room to get you through whatever struggle your are currently in. Let me know how it works out for you. "Good morning Father God. Good morning Jesus Christ. Good morning Holy Spirit. Thank you for another day to serve and follow You. As I go throughout my day I will certainly encounter some difficulties. I'm thankful that they are not with flesh and blood but with the spiritual forces of evil in an unseen world. In preparing for that battle right now I protect my salvation with your Helmet, my righteousness with your Breastplate and unforeseen attacks on my faith with your Shield. To hold those in place I wrap myself in the Belt of your truth and your Shoes make me ready to go where you call me. Thank you that when I need words the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, is bubbling inside of me. Thank you for this protection, and that when I need You, You are there." Luke 11:13 Today is Fathers Day. After spending the morning with my Dad and family and friends, I'm now sitting here watching a movie with my kids. I can't help but wonder what, if He could choose, my Heavenly Father would want for Fathers Day. Obviously, He doesn't need a tie. I don't suspect that He would ask for slippers and it's not like He needs a gift card to The Home Depot. He doesn't want our sacrifices and He doesn't need our money. The only thing that I can really think of that He would actually want is to spend some time with His children.
Even in that, we are told that it is more blessed to give than to receive. I have to imagine that while I'm sitting on His lap, just trying to spend some time with Him while He's watching the game, He might just have something for me. Whenever I sat with my Earthly grandpa, he would always have a pocket full of candy. Sure, I hated those anise things, but I always tried them, I always wanted to like them. In our passage Christ asks "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” What does that look like? Can you put the Holy Spirit in a box with a bow around it? Can you wrap it at all? Well, the answer of course, is yes. Ok, you can't put it in a box with a bow. But you can wrap it. You can contain it; sort of. See Jesus is telling us that if you ask to be filled with the Spirit, and you have to ask it doesn't just happen, then He will dwell in you. Your body becomes the Temple, in which you can house God. And by doing so, by letting God give this amazing gift to us while we sit on His lap, some amazing things happen in your own life. The fruits of the world become less and the fruits of the Spirit overflow out of you. According to Galatians 5 that means that hatred is replaced by love. Rage by joy. Jealousy and envy by peace. Selfishness and discord by patience. Dissensions and factions by kindness. Impurity by goodness. Idolatry by faithfulness. Witchcraft by gentleness. Debauchery and drunkenness by self control. Those are the things that I want for my children. Those are the things that I know my Father wants for me and from me. What's incredible about it all, is we just need to sit in His lap for a while, ask Him sincerely for it, and they are yours. Leviticus 1 Its hard for me to wrap my head around a lot of the things that the Jewish people did in the Old Testament. The burnt offering is certainly one of those things. We all fall short, way short, of the Glory of God, and I can't really remember if there has ever been even one day in which I did not sin. We can safely assume that, in most cases, Gods people were also unable to make it 24 hours. Therefore, the burnt offerings were required to take place daily! So, they have something like two million of them in the desert; sinning, sacrificing, repenting and sinning again. Round and round. Despite the fact that the High Priest was able to perform one sacrifice daily for the whole of Israel, the place must have looked like an explosion at a ketchup factory!
Besides the shear volume of sacrifices conducted, the actual process is fairly straightforward. First, you need an animal that is healthy and without blemish. Animals cannot sin because they do not have a soul. . However, breaking a Commandment is not the only way to see evidence of sin and death. In the Garden, before eating the forbidden fruit, everything functioned perfectly. There were no blemishes or sickness or diseases. After the fall, as sin crept in, so did illness, mutations, death and blemishes. The sacrifice must have never broken a bone, never sick. Exclusion could be something as simple as a sheep that should be completely white but has some black spots. Why does that really matter? It has to do with transference. Think of it like a couple of coffee cups. If my cup is full and want to give it to someone else, their cup had better be empty. If they are both full, how can I possibly pour from mine to the other. Now, during the Burnt Offering, you put your hand on your the animal to transfer you sin to it. Then you kill it and your sin dies with the animal. That's where the term scapegoat comes from. By giving our sin and punishment to the goat, or sheep, or ram, or bird we escape the punishment we so greatly deserve. This sacrificed is accepted by the Lord to make "atonement" for our sins. In the Old Testament, atonement means to hide or cover up, to cancel. The sin is still there but in God's eyes it has been covered up. It reminds me of sealing a juvenile criminal record. In most cases there is no reason to dig it out. But in more severe cases, even though it is sealed, attorneys can look through it looking for clues and patterns. Isn't that the beautiful thing about the sacrifice that Christ made for us? As a Man with a Soul He faced everything that we face. He knew our sins before we sinned and unlike that innocent unknowing scapegoat, He VOLUNTARILY took my sin on Him. He took your sin on Himself and carried them all to hell where they await Satan as his reward. The thing is, because He took all sin, yesterdays, todays and tomorrows, at the same time on Himself I don't have to worry about finding another flawless sacrifice. There are no ads on craigslist searching for a flawless goat or bull or sheep and you can't sell animals on eBay. Instead, I can spend my time getting to know the One that does not change. |