Hello again!
If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering to the LORD is an animal from the flock, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish. (Leviticus 3:6 ESV)
Sometimes it can be difficult to read through Leviticus (some of you are saying, “That’s an understatement!). But when we understand that the sacrifices, the offerings, etc., are foreshadowings of what Jesus Christ has done for us through the sacrificial offering of Himself on the cross, it can take on a whole new meaning! In fact, we should understand that all of Scripture is pointing to the gospel of our Lord Jesus. After His resurrection, He explained to two disciples on the road to Emmaus about Himself, and the necessity of His death and resurrection, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27).
The writer to the Hebrews, and the apostle Peter, both express well how the sacrifice of an unblemished animal was a picture of the once and for all perfect sacrifice of Christ:
For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 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. (Hebrews 9:13-14 ESV)
…knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19 ESV)
Let’s thank Him today for this profound truth – that He has purified and ransomed all who trust in Him with His own unblemished blood! Thank you Lord!
If you are inviting people to Experience Easter on Friday, and/or to one of our Easter Sunday services (9 & 11am), we have flyers here in the church foyer you can use to hand to people you are inviting. There is one specifically for Experience Easter, and one for Sunday. You can come by the churhc to pick some up (I suggest you call first). If you will be here Thursday for Awana you can get some then as well.
Thank you for praying for the impact of these events this week on people in our community! Please remember, we have three opportunities to pray together tomorrow (Weds): 5am, 6am, and 7pm.
Thankful for the Lamb without blemish…
Love From Your Pastor,
Michael