Goats, Sinners, and Forgiveness...

I listened to Ed Dobson's message from Mars Hill Bible Church Grand Rapids, MI 6/17/2007

I love it when things i thought i knew become something totally different altogether. And as these things become different, it's a little scary you know- if it's different than i thought was truth, is it true, was it true? But i find that scary feeling of things- doctirnes, realities, relationships- changing is the change that i need, that if i didn't have this change at this time, i would leave, give up on something that used to work for me, but just isn't anymore. These scary changes are the only place that my faith is real anymore.

Sin- has 3 different hebrew words, forgive- has 3 different hebrew words and 3 hebrew words for my response to being 'forgiven.' There was this Yom Kippur tradition, the sacrifice for sins of a whole community offered to recieve forgiveness and atonement. They'd kill a goat- it's blood a covering for sin. They'd have a live goat too- and a priest would confess the sins of the whole community while placing his hands on the goat's head. Symbolizing the sins being placed on the goat- they would then send the goat off into the wilderness. This goat would be led out of the town- to this cliff where the guy leading it would push it off the cliff to it's death.

PS32:1-2 Blessed is he whose trangressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him...
forgive- has 3 different hebrew words (all 3 here)
'forgiven' literally to carry away (same word as Gen. 50:13)

'covered' (same word Gen. 38:15 a chapter that would be censored if the fCC read it)

'not count against' (Lev 5:27) God doesn't calculate or determine how he can count our sin agains us

carried away, covered, not held against us

And so these 2 goats, again and again every year. and the priest and the temple with no chairs, because his job was never done, he could not sit. Hebrews 10:11

until Jesus carries away, covers up, and makes it so it cannot be counted against us. He goes and... sits down... at the right hand of God. Hebrews 9:23-28, 10:11-12

And all this trash here in my heart and mind- carried away, covered, 'I'll never count that against you."

3 words of response
Ps 32:11 (last verse)
Rejoice: celebrate with wild unrestrained passion
Be Glad: shout (THANK YOU)
Sing: 'Sing with inexpressible Joy / Fall on your face'

'God through Jesus Christ has carried away, covered up your trash and says 'I'll never count that against you."

sin, forgiveness, response- i seem to have forgotten.

it's been a while...

it's not about what i know anymore- it's more exciting this way. a new direction. learning something NEW instead of these same theologies drilled into my head. I haven't had much creative outlet in a while- i need an art class, i need to write, i need to enjoy some peace- friendship, love, hope.

it's 3:20 wednesday June 20th- office at church- stuff to do.

i'm leaving for [RE]New Orleans saturday. one thing this job allows is for me to mobilize groups to action. That's what it takes to move me to action- i've got to plan this whole big trip so that i have no choice. Because i'm lazy i'd stay doing nothing if i could. I do hope that this trip helps someone. I know i will love it. it's when i'm busy using my hands, to build, to work, when i have no other schedule, but serve others- that's when it's clear. The clarity of what it's all about, those words like meaning and purpose sound so trite, but when you are there in it- you see there's nothing more important than these people and their need. And there's Jesus in all of this, He's there in His church, there in the least of these... and i miss Him.

'I know a thousand guys just like that; that want to change the world, but nothing's changing.'

encouraged by discouragement anyone?