6th February 2025

6th February 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Leviticus 16v15-19)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


There is word that appears in the Scriptures that we struggle to pronounce and understand. What is it? Propitiation. I may be wrong but I pronounce the word as pro-pish-e-ation. What does it mean? It is a sacrifice that turns away the wrath of God. God’s wrath describes His righteous, holy anger towards sin and we can be assured that the Lord will pour out His judgement upon all manner of wickedness. Even Christians? No, because Christ is our propitiation.


In Leviticus 16 there were two little goats who were brought to Aaron. The first goat was killed and it’s blood was used to atone for the sins of God’s people. The blood was sprinkled throughout the tabernacle and atonement was made. The goat’s blood wasn’t magic nor was it perfect. Indeed, the Apostle would later say “But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” (Hebrews 10v3-4)


So what was going on? Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness (Hebrews 9v22) and as the goat’s blood was sprinkled it was a clear reminder to the people of their sin and a need for a Saviour who would atone for their transgressions once and for all. Christ was the true sacrifice who has turned God’s wrath away from us. He is our propitiation.


Paul would say “ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” (Romans 3v23-25) The blood of goats cannot save but the blood of Christ is precious and powerful in it’s work.


It is in Christ’s sacrifice and His passive obedience that we see His great love for us. John said  “God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4v8-10)


We may struggle to say propitiation but we really should seek to understand it. Because of Christ’s finished work, the wrath of God no longer abides upon men and women of faith. Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness - thank God for the cleansing blood of the Lamb.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q107 What doth the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer teach us? The conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen,” teacheth us to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to him; and in testimony of our desire and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.
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