August 28, 2020 CAC Living Water Devotional :- UNRESTRICTED ACCESS TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER (2)
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Friday, August 28, 2020
UNRESTRICTED ACCESS TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER (2)
Read: Leviticus 16:1-10
Leviticus 16:1-10 After the death of Aaron’s two sons, when they drew near before the Lord [offered false fire] and died,
The Lord said to Moses, Tell Aaron your brother he must not come at all times into the Holy of Holies within the veil before the mercy seat upon the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat.
But Aaron shall come into the holy enclosure in this way: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.
He shall put on the holy linen undergarment, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his body, and be girded with the linen girdle or sash, and with the linen turban or miter shall he be attired; these are the holy garments; he shall bathe his body in water and then put them on.
He shall take [at the expense] of the congregation of the Israelites two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering.
And Aaron shall present the bull as the sin offering for himself and make atonement for himself and for his house [the other priests].
He shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
Aaron shall cast lots on the two goats—one lot for the Lord, the other lot for Azazel or removal.
And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord’s lot fell and offer him as a sin offering.
But the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel or removal shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over him, that he may be let go into the wilderness for Azazel (for dismissal).
MEMORISE: The Lord said to Moses, Tell Aaron your brother he must not come at all times into the Holy of Holies within the veil before the mercy seat upon the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat. (Leviticus 16:2).
EXPOSITION
We have seen how we gain immediate access to God through Christ. But how did Jesus give us this access? He replaced the complicated ceremonies and rituals of the past (Hebrews 4:16). He gave us an easier access to God than the high priests of Old Testament times! The Old Testament people were following God’s command, and he graciously forgave them when, by faith, they made their sacrifices. But that practice looked forward to Christ’s perfect sacrifice. Christ’s way was superior to the Old Testament’s way because the old way only pointed to what he would do. The priests work was never finished so they always had to stand and make sacrifices; Christ’s sacrifice (dying in our place) is finished, so He is seated. The priests repeated the sacrifices often; Christ sacrificed once, for all. The sacrifices system couldn’t completely remove sin; Christ’s sacrifice effectively cleansed us.
How shall we respond to this unrestricted access? First, we must never forget that God carelessly. Secondly, an easy access to God does not eliminate our need to prepare our hearts as we draw near in prayer. Thirdly, cancelling the first sacrifices contained in the ceremonial law, but it didn’t mean eliminating God’s Moral law (the Ten Commandments). Fourthly, the ceremonial law prepared people for Christ’s coming and with Christ’s death and resurrection, it was no longer needed. Through Christ, we can fulfil the moral law as we let him live on us.
Admonition: Hebrews 10:26-28 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins…
PRAYER POINTS
1. Reject the Spirit that crucifies the Son of God a second time by falling into the temptation of repeating the sacrifice system.
2. Pray against the Spirit that subjects Your convention of Jesus to public disgrace.
3. Ask for the grace that never takes the things of God casually or perfunctorily.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Psalms 80-84