Week of Monday, February 28 – Sunday, March 6
Living Forgiven – Man as Chaplain
“And the priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments. He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. And this shall be a statute forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel once in the year because of all their sins.” And Aaron did as the Lord commanded Moses.” – Leviticus 16:32-34 ESV
On Easter Sunday in 1908, William Grenfell, a missionary doctor in Labrador, started a 60-mile journey with his sled dog team to help a desperately ill person. To shorten the trip, he decided to cross a frozen bay, though he knew the ice had begun melting. The ice broke and Grenfell and his dogs fell into the frigid water. The doctor and three dogs crawled onto a floating piece of ice. To keep himself from freezing to death, he eventually killed his three dogs and covered himself with their bloody skins. Grenfell struggled for physical survival and found it in a bloody covering.
Because sin separates us from a Holy God, we need help... we need a covering. God, in his infinite love for his creation through various animal sacrifices, made a way to relieve the guilt and shame of sin through bloody sacrifices. The meaning of the word atone is “to cover.” Consequently, the blood of a slain animal hid or covered a person’s sin, effecting atonement. That was God’s extreme means through which worshippers could appropriate his forgiveness – a life poured out in death. Atonement is what Jesus accomplished on the cross of Calvary. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:23)!
Aaron was a good High Priest, but he could only do so much. Those sacrifices made in the Old Testament were a temporary solution, they had to be repeated and the Israelites could only hope the sacrifice would atone for their sins. Hebrews 9:14 says, “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” Not only can you and I be forgiven, but we can victoriously serve Christ with our lives!
The finished work of Jesus reminds us as men of God of our role as the spiritual leader in our homes and our realm of influence. God went to incredible lengths to create a way for Israel to find atonement for their sins. He then paid the ultimate price by sacrificing his only begotten son that the world might know forgiveness. As the high priest was totally consecrated to God’s design, so must we be consecrated. God has called and equipped us to be the High Priest in our homes to the precious family with whom he has blessed us! If you are a man of God, then for the sake of those you love and influence, live a godly life in this ungodly world! The gospel was made for times like these!
Living Forgiven – Man as Chaplain
“And the priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments. He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. And this shall be a statute forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel once in the year because of all their sins.” And Aaron did as the Lord commanded Moses.” – Leviticus 16:32-34 ESV
On Easter Sunday in 1908, William Grenfell, a missionary doctor in Labrador, started a 60-mile journey with his sled dog team to help a desperately ill person. To shorten the trip, he decided to cross a frozen bay, though he knew the ice had begun melting. The ice broke and Grenfell and his dogs fell into the frigid water. The doctor and three dogs crawled onto a floating piece of ice. To keep himself from freezing to death, he eventually killed his three dogs and covered himself with their bloody skins. Grenfell struggled for physical survival and found it in a bloody covering.
Because sin separates us from a Holy God, we need help... we need a covering. God, in his infinite love for his creation through various animal sacrifices, made a way to relieve the guilt and shame of sin through bloody sacrifices. The meaning of the word atone is “to cover.” Consequently, the blood of a slain animal hid or covered a person’s sin, effecting atonement. That was God’s extreme means through which worshippers could appropriate his forgiveness – a life poured out in death. Atonement is what Jesus accomplished on the cross of Calvary. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:23)!
Aaron was a good High Priest, but he could only do so much. Those sacrifices made in the Old Testament were a temporary solution, they had to be repeated and the Israelites could only hope the sacrifice would atone for their sins. Hebrews 9:14 says, “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” Not only can you and I be forgiven, but we can victoriously serve Christ with our lives!
The finished work of Jesus reminds us as men of God of our role as the spiritual leader in our homes and our realm of influence. God went to incredible lengths to create a way for Israel to find atonement for their sins. He then paid the ultimate price by sacrificing his only begotten son that the world might know forgiveness. As the high priest was totally consecrated to God’s design, so must we be consecrated. God has called and equipped us to be the High Priest in our homes to the precious family with whom he has blessed us! If you are a man of God, then for the sake of those you love and influence, live a godly life in this ungodly world! The gospel was made for times like these!
- Does your walk match your talk? Is there anything in your life that God is speaking to you about that needs to be addressed?
- How are you living and leading as the High Priest in your home and life? Do those you love benefit from your walk and influence?
- How exactly has God called and equipped you to serve the church? In what way is God using you in kingdom ministry today?