20/04/11

He Walked into the wilderness with our burden

Luke 24:24-27
24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.



Most Christians yet do not understand the sacrifice of Jesus; they think on the crucifix Jesus got our sins to be forgiven.

There were many sacrifices which Jesus performed according to Law of Moses (Law of the Lord) on the crucifix and the main among them was the peace sacrifice. It was this reason He was hung from a height by his limbs. To confirm the fulfilment of the peace sacrifice Jesus appeared from hell on a Sunday which was the day when the peace sacrifice was celebrated.

What will surprise all is that even after appearing from hell Jesus still continued performing the sacrifices for the salvation of mankind and one of them was the forgiveness of sins.

According to the Law the High Priest would lay his hands on the head of a live goat and this goat would be taken into the wilderness and let loose in an inhabited land.

Jesus immediately after appearing from hell did not let Mary of Magdalene to touch Him. Before His crucifixion the people had laid their hands on His head while putting the crown of thorns on His head. While doing so they had transferred the sins of all mankind on His head and He was yet to perform the sacrifice for forgiveness of our sins.

After appearing from hell Jesus surprisingly starts on a journey on foot into the wilderness (for about 12kms). Jesus at this time was performing the sacrifice of forgiveness of our sins. The place He was walking towards was a village of Emmaus which in Greek means 'hot spring' but in Hebrew means 'mule'. He was still carrying our burden of sins on His head and walking into the wilderness as our sacrifice. He completed all the sacrifices on that day itself and ascending to Heaven and offered His Blood on to the Mercy Throne. It was because of this He allowed His disciples to touch Him later that day.

On Resurrection Sunday we celebrate the breaking of the curse of perishing to dust and completion of all sacrifices. Jesus became our peace sacrifice and made peace between God and those who believe in Him.

Man when sinned was cursed to perish not only bodily but even his spirit and soul was condemned to hell to perish. Jesus by His being set free from hell broke the curse for all those who believe in Him.

After our death our bodily will go to dust but now our spirit and soul does not. We live because He broke the curse for us and He confirmed this by His reappearance after going to hell.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, it is only by your Spirit that we come to know the great sacrifices You performed for us to set us free from sin and broke all the curses by becoming a curse Yourself. Lord Jesus, in You we have a confirmation of complete victory and eternal life. Your Spirit leads us to that victory and eternal life. Lord, we pray that the minds of people be opened and may they release what You have accomplished for man by your Sacrifice...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripturesr ]
Leviticus 16:15-23
15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.
19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. 20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: 21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
23 And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:

John 20:10-20
10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

Genesis 3:17-19
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Colossians 1:19-21
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

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