Rabbi Schneider - Forgiven
Growing up in a Jewish Home in Beachwood, Ohio, in Eastern suburb of Cleveland, it was very obvious to all of us, all the Jewish community, that the Most Holy sacred day on our Hebrew calendar of the Jewish year is Yom Kippur, translated in English as the day of covering or the Day of Atonement. And we are in that season now. The time of year where things become very solemn for the Jewish people. But beloved one, Yom Kippur and the Day of Atonement is not just relevant for the Jewish people. In fact, Paul, or the author of the book of Hebrews take several chapters in the book of Hebrews teaching us how Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah fulfills this sacred holy day.
In the Torah, many of you know, on the Day of Atonement, the high priests would go into a special room called the Holy of Holies where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. Inside the Ark of the Covenant, were the Ten Commandments. The high priest would go into this room and he would pour blood on top of the Ark of the Covenant. And the scripture says, when the Lord saw the blood over the Ark of the Covenant, He forgave the sins of Israel for that year. And perhaps my favorite verse in the Hebrew Bible is Leviticus, we say in Hebrew Vayikra, Chapter 17, verse 11. And that verse states this. The Lord is speaking here about the Day of Atonement. And He says, "The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I've given it to you on the altar to make an atonement for your soul. For it's the blood by reason of its life that makes atonement".
Why is this so serious? And why is this so foundational? Because beloved, in the society that we live in today, so many people have carved out their own path to God. It's not a real path to God, but it's a figment of their own imagination. Christianity in the Western world is actually looked down upon by the majority of people. But the truth is, it's only the Christian faith, it's only faith in the atoning blood of Jesus that can save man from their sin. There is no other way of salvation. Because sin needs to be dealt with.
The only way that God can forgive sin and release people from their sin is when an innocent one dies in the guilty one's place. And this is what Yeshua HaMashiach did. He died in your place, and He died in my place. And then that spear was thrust in His side and the blood came out, that was the symbol of the fact that His life had been totally given. And when the innocent one, Yeshua, died in the place of the guilty, you and I, God, then made away for you and I to be forgiven. There's no name under heaven, by which men can be saved but the name of Yeshua of Nazareth. Beloved, if you love Jesus, you've been forgiven for your sin. Praise to His name and glory to God the Father.