SERMON SUBJECT: THE SAVIOR: OUR SUBSTITUTE OUR SALVATION

SERMON TEXT: “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him”(Isaiah 53:6)

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).

SERMON THESIS: Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised again for our justification.

INTRODUCTION: In Leviticus we read about the Day of Atonement. This was an event under Old Testament Law to be observed yearly, according to verse twenty-nine on the tenth day of the seventh month,” (Lev. 16) at which time the high priest, in this case Aaron, would go into the holy place to make an atonement for sin for himself, his family, and the people. This yearly sacrifice is described in the following verses...

“Aaron shall enter the holy place with this: with a bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and the linen undergarments shall be next to his body, and he shall be girded with the linen sash, and attired with the linen turban (these are the holy garments). Then he shall bathe his body in water and put them on. And he shall take from the congregation of the sons of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. Then Aaron shall offer the bull for the sin offering which is for himself, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household. And he shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the “scapegoat”. Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the Lord fell, and make it a sin offering” (Leviticus 16:3-9)

“Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel, and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness. And the goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness” (Leviticus 16:21-22).

This yearly event about which we have read, in the words of the late commentator, Matthew Henry, was carried out “ ...with great ceremony and caution.” He goes on to say, “That place where God manifested his special presence (Shechinah, or divine glory) must not be made common.”

While this was an ancient event carried out by the high priest once a year in accordance to the Law of the Covenant, it contains a teaching that is no less important for us today. For you see, in and through this yearly event, we have the prefiguration/foreshadowing, by the offering of the two goats, which made one offering, of the Savior who would bear the sins of us all. Both the slain goat that was killed, and the scapegoat that was sent out into the wilderness was a type of Christ. The goat that was slain was a type of Christ dying for our sins, and the scapegoat was a type of Christ rising again for our justification. First, we will consider the slain goat and see...

I. THE SAVIOR DYING FOR OUR SINS - In the book of John, we read these words, “They took Jesus, and led Him away”(John 19:16). In the context of this passage, Jesus had spent a night in agony. Prior to Him being led away, Jesus was shuffled from one authority to another. From Caiaphas to Pilate... from Pilate to Herod... then from Herod back to Pilate again. Finally, it was Pilate who said to His accusers, “Here is your king... Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!”(John 19:14,15). Then the Bible says...

“So they delivered Him to be crucified” (John 19:16).

In my minds eye, watching Jesus being led away to be crucified, I can hear the words of this hymn reverberating in my mind ...“I traveled down a lonely road and no one seemed to care, the burden on my weary back had bowed me to despair; I oft complained to Jesus–How folks were treating me, and then I heard Him say so tenderly: My feet were also weary Upon the Calvary Road, The cross became so heavy, I fell beneath the load ...

In light of these events, the question has been asked, “What do we learn here as we see our blessed Lord led forth?” What we see in the scapegoat being sent out, and Jesus being led away is this...

1. Our sins FORGIVEN...

We perceive the truth that the sacrifice Jesus made was foreshadowed in the scapegoat in that our sins were carried away. As we have seen in Leviticus, the priest would bring the scapegoat forth; place both hands on its head, confess the sins of the people, and then send the scapegoat out into the wilderness. Do we not have a picture of the sin bearer Jesus? The One whom, in the words of Scripture, took our sins upon Himself and carried them away...

“All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him” (Isaiah 53:6).

“...and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed” (I Peter 2:24).

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).

What we see in the scapegoat being sent out, and Jesus being led away, second, it this...

2. Our sins FORGOTTEN...

We perceive the truth that the Sacrifice Jesus made was foreshadowed in the scapegoat in that being sent into the wilderness meant that our sins would be forgotten.

As a commentary on I Peter 2:24, the late Matthew Henry wrote, “He suffered and died, not only for our good, but in our stead, and was forsaken and seemed forgotten for a time, that we might not be forsaken and forgotten forever.”

 “A sea of forgiveness...or a land of forgetfulness...” in the words of Scripture has the following meanings...

“The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

“For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12).

“Lo, for my own welfare I had great bitterness; it is Thou who hast kept my soul from the pit of nothingness. For

Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back” (Isaiah 38:17).

“He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19).

Concerning the carrying away of our sin, I believe it was Corrie Ten Boone who said, “He has buried our sins in the sea of forgiveness and put up a no fishing sign.”

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12)

It was the late Charles H. Spurgeon who wrote, “As the substitute for our guilt, bearing our sin–represented by the cross–on His shoulders, the great Scapegoat was led away by the appointed officers of justice.” Then he asks this question, “Beloved, can you feel assured that He carried your sin?” “Have you laid your hand on His head, confessed your sin, and trusted Him?’

Secondly, the scapegoat is a type of Christ, in that...

II. HE WAS RAISED AGAIN FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION - It was the resurrection that vindicated Jesus’ suffering on the cross. It was the resurrection that finalizes our salvation and opens unto the believer the door to heaven.

1. As the high priest entered into the most holy place, Christ has made an entrance for us into heaven. The writer of Hebrews expounds on this idea...

“...but into the second only the high priest enters, once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself

and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance” (Hebrews 9:7).

Some years ago I had a wonderful dream. I dreamed that I was standing at heavens gate. The gates swung open and I beheld the most beautiful sigh I had ever seen. Like Paul in his third heaven vision, words are inadequate for me to describe the beauty which I beheld. I was not permitted to enter in, but told that I must wait... How true it must be...

“...but just as it is written, “things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him”(I Cor. 2:9).

2. At His ascension, Christ entered heaven through the veil, that is to say the veil of His flesh, as the Bible states, “Once for all,” making it possible for you and I to enter. The Bible says...

“...by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh...” (Hebrews 10:20).

3. He entered by His own blood...

“...and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12).

We, too, must enter by way of the blood. Does not the Bible say, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness for sins?”

CONCLUSION: How is it that we gain access to this place called heaven?

1. By Faith. Faith is the key that unlocks the door to heaven. It has been stated like this,“By faith we must put our hands upon the head of the offering, relying on Christ as the Lord our righteousness, pleading His sanctification as that which was alone able to atone for our sins and procure us a pardon.”

2. By repentance. This means inwardly sorrowing for our sins. Not sorry that we got caught in our sin, but sorry that we have broken the heart of a loving Heavenly Father.