Title: The Meaning of Atonement

Focus: Atonement involves purging the polluting effects of sin and restoring a relationship with God

Function: To motivate the hearers to trust in Jesus to purge their sins through his blood and lead them through life

Text: Lev 16-17

Intro:
1.  Water rids at worlds of fun (water had green algae, and water color
2.  Got in clothing, socks etc.  -  Stinky ride hom
3.  That was sin like.  It defiles our lives
4.  Text tells how sin is atoned for


I.  Lev 16-17 - Procedure
	A.  High preist once a year
		Bull for self, goat of sin offering, goat of removal (Azazel)
	B.  (16:16; 16:18-19; 16:30; 16:33-34) 
		1.  Due to sin, had to atone for tabernacle  - Sin defiles worship
		2.  Also had to atone for self - Sin defiles self
	C.  (17:10-14) - Reason for use of blood
		1.  Ex 21:28-30 - When sin forfeit your life
		2.  Law of atonement allow you to substitute another life to atone
	D.  So every year preist atone for self, tabernacle, and people with blood


II.  Hebrews explains significance this for us as Christians (Heb 9:6-10)
	A.  Point is that Levitical system was incomplete
	B.  Reasons it incomplete
		1.  While outer tabernacle stands, way to holy place not disclosed
			a.  Can’t approach God like we can now
			b.  Only High Priest could go, and only with blood once year
		2.  The tabernacle was a symbol for the present time
			a.  Word for symbol - “parabole” - Parable
			b.  What is it a parable for?  Will see later in this passage
		3.  Does not perfect the conscience
			a.  “Conscience”Makes us think of Jimminy Cricket
				- We think of it as the guilt
			b.  Grk:  “Inner thoughts” or “awareness of sin in you life”
				-This can cause guilt, but is not the guilt
				- Conscience is contrasted here with “body”
					-Talking a inner verses outer change
			c.  (Heb 10:1-4, 11) - Animal blood not really take away sins
	C.  ILL:  College dorm room at York
		1.  Given carpet from a guy on soccer team, smelled like his feet
		2.  Covered it up with carpet freshener, but it kept coming back
		3.  That is how Old Testament Atonement worked 
			a.  They would atone, then sin, then have to atone again
			b.  Reminder of the presence of sin in their life
		4.  Never really got rid of it, otherwise would only spray it once
	D.  So Levitical system incomplete
		1.  Animal blood not really get rid of sin, or would would have
		     to sprinkle once
		2.  So what can we do?

II.  Jesus’ system is perfect (Heb 9)
	A.  It does so much more than Levitical system did
	B.  Why Jesus system is perfect
		1.  (v.11, 21-24) - Jesus ministered in the true tabernacle
			a.  Earthly tabernacle a shadow of reality in Heaven
			b.  Jesus didn’t offer blood in the shadow
			c.  Jesus went into “true” tabernacle
			d.  Went before God, not some representation of Him!
				- Cleansed the true altar, true tabernacle
				- Our worship sanctified, cleansed, made acceptable
		2.  (v.12-14, 24-26) - Jesus used his own blood
			a.  Only needed to do it once, not yearly
			b.  Reason only once, it actually cleansed us
	C.  ILL:  Back to carpet freshner analogy
		1.  He didn’t just over it up, he purged sin with his own blood
		2.  I is kind of like febreeze - actually removes smell
	D.  Text says it cleanse sins, and our conscience (inner change)
		1.  Text her not mention it, but that is a ministry of the Holy Spirit
		      according to Romans 8
		2.  Spirit gives us power to change


III.  Application
	A.  Reason Hebrews written -  Hebrews were slipping back to old way
		1.  Church a tired, worn out church
		2.  Slipping back to Judaism, which was just a shadow
	B.  We as Christians don’t live according to shadows, but reality
		1.  Walk by faith not by sight
		2.  We focus not on what is seen, but what is unseen
		3.  Our citizenship is in Heaven
		4.  OUr treasure, bank account is in Heaven
	C.  We can see evidence of God’s majesty and nature all around us.
		1.  The Heavens declare the glory of God ...
		2.  But this earth and all in it is just a shadow
			a.  The substance belongs to Christ - Phil 2:17
			b.  True reality in God
			c.  DON’T CONCENTRATE ON THE SHADOW
		3.  ILL:  William climb rock wall
			a.  Didn’t focus on how high he was like we were
			b.  He focused on the top, which he really couldn’t see
		4.  We need to focus on the top, which we can’t see
	D.  We are not going to stay here
		1.  Even if I die on this earth, I’m still leaving
		2.  Song, “Beyond the Sunset’s Radiant Glow, there is a brighter 
		      world I know”



Concl:  Focus on the hand (shadow), this is reality
1.  If not Christian - You are defiled by sin - Let blood cleanse you
2.  If Christian - See the unseen, that is true reality
	a.  Don’t trust in what you can see, but trust in who you know
	b.  Put your life into his hand - 
	c.  Do things such as:
		- Turn other cheek
		- Give shirt also when someone ask for shirt
		-  Love enemies pray for persecutors - These are
	d.  These are expressions of trust in God - He will take care of you